Decision details

Purpose of Report: To set out the future options for the city centre footstreets that have been extended as part of the Covid-19 Economic Recovery Transport and Place Strategy.

The Executive will be asked to decide whether the temporary footstreet extensions need to continue beyond the initial 6 month period, and to consider if any of the footstreet areas should be considered for retention on a permanent basis. Consider and respond to the results of engagement with stakeholders most affected by the extension, including an open brief prepared to reflect the impact on accessibility of the city centre.

Resolved:  (i)      That the temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for the phase 1 footstreet extensions be extended until the end of September 2021 in response to Covid-19, with a staffing cost of £20k.

Reason:     To allow social distancing and the use of pavement café licences on major footfall routes through the city centre during the ongoing pandemic, in response to the government’s Safer Public Places guidance.

                   (ii)      That the temporary TRO for Castlegate and Fossgate be continued until the end of September 2021 in response to Covid-19, with a staffing cost of £80k for Fossgate.

Reason:     To allow the continued operation of the 22 pavement café licences that the temporary footstreets have facilitated, enabling businesses to operate under the social distancing measures required by Covid-19.

                   (iii)     That approval be given to fund the costs of these measures from Transport Recovery budgets in 2020/21, including ‘Re-opening the High Street’ funding.

                   (iv)    That the need to identify the £60k ongoing costs relating to 2021/22 as a one-off cost pressure in the 2021/22 budget be accepted.

Reason:     To ensure that cost proposals are funded within council budgets.

(v)     That the TRO from Monk Bar through to College Green and Deansgate be ended, as from 26 November 2020.

Reason:     To remove temporary access restrictions and re-instate parking capacity for Blue Badge holders on double yellow lines and loading at the very edge of the footstreet area.

                   (vi)    That the temporary extension of the footstreet hours to 8:00 pm be continued until September 2021, except when hospitality venues are required to close due to Covid-19 restrictions, when the hours will revert to 10:30 am – 5:00 pm.

Reason:     To allow pavement café licences to operate in the early evening when hospitality venues are open, and to facilitate the increased demand for food and takeaways when they are required to close.

                   (vii)    That the mitigation measures set out in paragraph 41 for Blue Badge holders and businesses affected by the temporary footstreet extensions be approved.

Reason:     To reduce the impact on those groups that have been affected by the temporary footstreet extensions.

                   (viii)   That the process to make Castlegate and the phase one footstreets permanent be initiated, and authority delegated to the Executive Member for Transport to make decisions on the final proposals, mitigations and process.

Reason:     To reduce the vehicle / pedestrian conflict on the high footfall phase one streets, ensure that the permanent footstreet areas correspond with the full extent of the City Centre Access project to allow hostile vehicle attack measures to be brought forward in a single stage, and make permanent the temporary measures on Castlegate in accordance with the Castle Gateway masterplan.

                   (ix)    That a full strategic review be undertaken of the city centre’s parking and disabled offer, as set out in the report, to be completed by Summer 2021 at a cost of up to £40k from the existing footstreet engagement and Local Transport Plan 4 budgets.

Reason:     To ensure that the permanent footstreet extensions set out above are accompanied by appropriate mitigations for those who have been affected by the revised footstreets and to improve city centre accessibility.

                   (x)     That the independent review of York’s disabled access offer in Annex 6 to the report be noted and that the issues raised be given due consideration through the strategic review of the city’s parking and disabled access offer.

Reason:     To ensure that the issues raised are considered in the ongoing engagement and strategic responses.

                   (xi)    That the design of the hostile vehicle mitigation measures that would protect the potential new permanent extended footstreet area at a cost of £50k from existing budgets be brought forward, to mitigate any delay caused by changing footstreets.

Reason:     To speed up the full extent of the delivery of the City Centre Access project and give the best possible opportunity of avoiding the need for temporary measures for events.