Agenda item

This report informs the Executive Member of the results of the public consultation undertaken on the proposed improvements to the Blossom Street area, advises of road network implications of any alterations made and presents potential options for altering the layout to improve safety for all users.

RESOLVED:                That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i)             Note the results of the public consultation;

ii)           Note the results of micro-simulation computer modelling undertaken to ascertain the road network impact of making various alterations to Blossom Street;

iii)         Approve the implementation of the preferred option detailed in Annex ‘E’, in order that further consultation can be undertaken locally to develop detailed design, resulting in works being tendered and construction commencing in the autumn of 2010;

iv)         Delegate to the Director of City Strategy authority to approve the detailed design of the scheme, including refinements aimed at addressing any outstanding Police comments about safety issues, as well as any practical opportunities to include cycle priorities on Holgate Road and to reduce the problems caused by the cobbled gutter, and vehicles poorly parked on the double yellow lines, on the narrow strip of cobbles on the south side of Blossom Street;

v)            Request Officers to pursue the introduction of additional loading and waiting restrictions in Blossom Street so that any agreed changes can be implemented at the same time as other work is completed in the area.

REASON:                        The proposals will provide facilities to enhance the accessibility and safety for all users of this road, with significant improvements for the more vulnerable users: pedestrians and cyclists.  In addition, the streetscape and approach along Blossom Street towards the historic Micklegate Bar will be significantly improved, particularly by removing unnecessary street furniture.  The proposed measures would also make a significant contribution towards the aims of the Council as a Cycling City.

The Executive Member considered a report, which informed him of the results of the citywide public consultation undertaken on the proposed improvements to the Blossom Street area. The report also advised of the road network implications of any alterations made to Blossom Street and its junction with Queen Street, Micklegate and Nunnery Lane, following further detailed analysis.

The following options had been considered as part of the proposals:

Option A is merely a comparison case to the base model and acts as the ‘status quo’.  The only change here is the conversion of the bus-gate from signalised to a merge.  As discussed, this does show some apparent benefit to car users of this corridor and therefore acts as the ‘do minimum’ case against which each of the other Options are compared.

Option B (which was Option 1 in the public consultation) includes a new signalised one-stage pedestrian crossing between the Bar Convent and the Windmill PH, much to the benefit of pedestrians.  In addition, the inbound Blossom Street stop-line is set further back so that larger vehicles can make an easier left turn into Queen Street.  Furthermore, an extended cycle feeder-lane is introduced under Micklegate Bar outbound so that outbound cyclists can travel to the front of stationary traffic to access the ASL, unhindered by vehicles queuing and blocking the archway. 

Option C is the same, other than that the two other ‘staggered’ (two-stage) pedestrian crossings, at Holgate Road and outside the cinema, are straightened into one-stage so that pedestrians can cross in one movement.

Option D is the same as Option B (with similar benefits), except this time one inbound traffic lane on Blossom Street is removed (three lanes reduced to two) so that room is made to introduce a new inbound cycle lane.  This has the benefit that cyclists now have a facility inbound.  In addition, inbound traffic lanes would be significantly wider than the narrow ones, which are currently present.  With wider traffic lanes and with already being displaced further from the kerb by the new cycle lane, left-turning vehicles would no longer need to straddle both lanes and could easily make the manoeuvre.

Option E (which was Option 2 in the public consultation) is the same, other than that the flare from one to two traffic lanes occurs later inbound, after the cinema crossing.  This means that the inbound cycle lane can be continuous from Holgate Road to the Micklegate junction.

Option F (which was Option 3 in the public consultation) includes a new staggered two-stage pedestrian crossing outside the Bar Convent and also on the Queen Street arm, to improve capacity of this junction.  In addition, although similarly inbound to Option E for cyclists, a further cycle lane is introduced, as well as an outbound cycle lane.  As a result, outbound traffic lanes are reduced from two to one, and consequently the two outbound Queen Street lanes must be separately phased.

Officers circulated an update at the meeting which detailed their responses to additional comments received from Paul Hepworth of the Cyclists Touring Club, the Cycling City York Major Infrastructure Group and Councillors D’Agorne and Merrett in relation to the proposed improvements in this area (copy of comments and responses attached at an annex to these minutes).

Officers confirmed that the preferred option was a finely balanced revision and a compromise of the various options put forward to improve safety for all users and maximise benefits for cyclists and pedestrians where possible.

Representations were then received from Mr Hoedeman who referred to previous promises of significant steps forward being made in relation to sustainable transport. This had been promised with the inner ring road; pedestrianisation and more recently speed restrictions and he pointed out that this scheme did not succeed in the promotion of sustainable transport. He stated that Blossom Street was already a nightmare for cyclists and he felt that the proposals would only result in a significant diversion of traffic onto other routes. He requested the Executive Member to defer further consideration of the proposals to allow for changes to be made. He felt that the present proposals would not assist cyclists and referred to the dangers involved in the use of the new route for cyclists through the station car park.

Councillor Merrett made representations on behalf of the three Micklegate Ward Members. He confirmed that they welcomed the works and the consultations undertaken with residents. He went onto say that Cllr Gunnell, had also been present at the last briefing with officers, when they had seen an earlier version of the current proposal, but they had not been given the detailed traffic figures, only a verbal summary. He said that at the briefing they had raised 9 issues of concern on the then plan, and the majority of these had not been reported in the Officers report. He hoped the smaller ones could be picked up in the promised further local consultation. In terms of the proposals overall, he felt the traffic studies highlighted the shortcomings of the piecemeal approach to tackling problems at single locations in the city centre, where the traffic consequences of doing the right thing at that location, like here at Blossom Street of providing separate cycle lanes, gave unacceptable traffic consequences. A comprehensive approach to reducing traffic in and around the city centre was required to free up space for alternative measures, and was going to be the only way of improving safety for cyclists.  raise a number of concerns including that no separate cycle lanes were proposed on the Blossom Street approach and that a comprehensive traffic solution was the only means of improving safety for cyclists. He raised a number of points relating to the preferred route detailed in Annex E of the report including concerns at the arrangements for cyclists at Micklegate Bar, queuing traffic at the Holgate Road approach affecting air pollution and the knock on affects of the proposals which they felt would encourage rat running in the South Bank area.

Officers responded to these issues in particular that the Blossom Street junction was already at capacity and that any changes would inevitably have a knock on affect elsewhere but they pointed out that this was a multi modal scheme and one that should not disadvantage other highway users.

The Executive Member referred to the wide consultation that had been undertaken in relation to these proposals with the key objective of making the junction safer for all road users. He pointed out that there had been widespread public support for many of the proposed features of the revised layout, however there were a clear majority of residents who were opposed to reducing the number of traffic lanes and he confirmed that he respected that view in the decision he would make.

RESOLVED:             That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i)                    Note the results of the public consultation;

ii)                  Note the results of micro-simulation computer modelling undertaken to ascertain the road network impact of making various alterations to Blossom Street;

iii)                Approve the implementation of the preferred option detailed in Annex ‘E’, in order that further consultation can be undertaken locally to develop detailed design, resulting in works being tendered and construction commencing in the autumn of 2010; ^1.

iv)                Delegate to the Director of City Strategy authority to approve the detailed design of the scheme, including refinements aimed at addressing any outstanding Police comments about safety issues, as well as any practical opportunities to include cycle priorities on Holgate Road and to reduce the problems caused by the cobbled gutter, and vehicles poorly parked on the double yellow lines, on the narrow strip of cobbles on the south side of Blossom Street; ^2.

v)            Request Officers to pursue the introduction of additional loading and waiting restrictions in Blossom Street so that any agreed changes can be implemented at the same time as other work is completed in the area. ^3.

REASON:                              The proposals will provide facilities to enhance the accessibility and safety for all users of this road, with significant improvements for the more vulnerable users: pedestrians and cyclists.  In addition, the streetscape and approach along Blossom Street towards the historic Micklegate Bar will be significantly improved, particularly by removing unnecessary street furniture.  The proposed measures would also make a significant contribution towards the aims of the Council as a Cycling City.