Agenda item

To consider the above decision called-in by Councillors Hopton, D’Agorne and Hill in accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Constitution and which the Chair of Scrutiny Management Committee (SMC) has agreed should be taken at this meeting in accordance with urgent business provisions to avoid any unnecessary delays in the determination of this matter.  A cover report is attached setting out the reasons for call-in, the remit and powers of SMC in relation to the call-in procedure, together with the original report and decision of the Executive Member for City Strategy.

Members considered the decision on Askham Bryan Roundabout from the meeting of the Executive Member for City Strategy and Advisory Panel, which had been called-in by Councillors Hopton, D’Agorne and Hill in accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Constitution and which the Chair of Scrutiny Management Committee (SMC) had agreed to take at this meeting in accordance with urgent business provisions to avoid any unnecessary delays in the determination of this matter.  A cover report was attached setting out the reasons for call-in, the remit and powers of SMC in relation to the call-in procedure, together with the original report and decision of the Executive Member for City Strategy.

The Executive Member had agreed that amended Option A, a five-arm roundabout located at or very close to the existing summit between Askham Lane and Moor Lane, should be adopted as the preferred scheme to form the basis of a planning application, to improve the Moor Lane, Askham Lane and Askham Bryan Lane junctions on the A1237 York outer ring road.  However the calling-in Members sought reconsideration of the decision in favour of Option D as explained in the reasons for the call-in set out below:

“Option D is the best Option for Askham Bryan residents and would be equally beneficial as the Option Amended A approved at the meeting for residents on the Acomb side of the A1237.

Option D will prevent rat running through Askham Bryan village, from the A1237 and Acomb side of the A1237, from the new roundabout, as there would be no access to the village with this Option.  Traffic would have to continue down the A1237 to reach the Copmanthorpe roundabout with the A64.

Option Amended A will encourage rat running, and make it more likely that any weight limit or village access only signs will be more difficult to enforce.  If the traffic is discouraged in the first place, those two restrictions will be more effective in controlling rat running.

As it stands, rat running will take place between the A1237 and A64, both ways,  when there are queues on the A64 and on the A1237, and as a short cut for that traffic and also to and  from the Askham Richard/Healaugh Road across to Moor Lane, Askham Lane and Acomb beyond.

The reasons for objecting to retaining the current junction and with a left hand turn onto the A1237 can be overcome:  physical measures can be taken to prevent a turning right across the A1237 towards the A64.  Askham Bryan villagers can exit for that from the south end of the village so do not need to turn right.

Accidents have tended to be as a result of traffic wishing to turn right off the A1237 towards Acomb, waiting to turn.  Accidents have not been caused by the Askham Bryan junction.

Askham Bryan does not need this link to the roundabout as it has a way out of the village to the south.”

Members considered carefully all of the written and verbal information presented to the meeting and had opportunity to question all of the interested parties in attendance.

RESOLVED:That the decision of the Executive Member for City Strategy be confirmed.

REASON:Members considered the Executive Member had taken all the relevant information into account in reaching the original decision.

[Note:  Councillors Blanchard and B Watson requested that their abstentions in the vote on this resolution be recorded.]