Agenda and draft minutes

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Introductions

Selection of the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward Planning Panel

Road safety in our community – a discussion about the issues of inconsiderate parking and driving in the school vicinity at drop-off and pick-up times with the view to come up with ideas for action to improve the situation.

Have your say

Welcome Chaired by Cllr Widdowson who opened the meeting and welcomed everyone.

Selection of Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward Planning Panel

Julie Ainsworth, a member of the Planning Panel gave an overview of the Panel work. The purpose of the Planning Panel is to provide a structured opportunity for residents to come together to comment on planning applications within the ward. The comments are then submitted for consideration when applications are determined by the Local Planning Authority (City of York Council). The Panel meets once a month at a local venue, with the next meeting scheduled for Thursday 21st of March, 3pm at the Holiday Inn Hotel. Julie encouraged anyone interested in joining the Panel to put themselves forward as it was very rewarding to be part of the group.

The following residents have been confirmed as members of the Planning Panel for the forthcoming year: Stephen Fenton, Margaret Silcock, Julie Ainsworth, Fiona Barclay, Judith Gresty and Marion Croft.

Q – A comment was made about the proposed development on Tadcaster Road, at the Hunters Way junction. It was felt that the site entrance is too narrow and locality becoming overdeveloped.

A- This application will be discussed at the Panel meeting on Thursday. The resident was thanked for sharing their opinion and invited to join the Panel.

Road safety in our community

With the use of PowerPoint presentation, Cllr Fenton outlined the topic. Recent consultation on Transport Strategy for York saw 80% of respondents supporting the creation of a ‘Movement & Place Plan’ to identify how best to balance the needs of streets as travel corridors and as places where people live, shop, go to school and enjoy their leisure. It is felt that improvements are required for streets to fulfil those roles better.  Reducing car dependency has been identified as a priority area, with consideration of the fact that cycling is not an option for everybody. There is a strong support towards encouraging more cycling and walking to school and the need to create safer environment, with specific focus on road safety around schools. Both Primary schools in the ward are facing ongoing problems with road safety in their vicinity, namely: irresponsible and illegal parking on double yellow lines, Zig Zags, on junctions, on footpaths and speeding. All these behaviours put pedestrians and wheelers at risk. Today’s meeting will focus mainly on the area around Woodthorpe School.

In terms of enforcement, City of York Council has powers to enforce parking on double yellow lines and over private driveways, whereas the Police can enforce blocked roads and pavements.

Campaigns involving school children speaking with their parents/carers about inconsiderate parking, flyers, visual props and community speed watch have been tried elsewhere in the city and in the area, however a small minority of drivers remains indifferent to this type of encouragement.

Projects taking place elsewhere in the city include installation of low fencing and bollards to tackle parking on pavements around Badger Hill School, and one day trial including installation of pedestrian  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.