Agenda item

Find out the latest findings from the study.

4.      Ian Stokes, Development Officer Transport Strategy,  informed residents on the City Centre Area Action Plan.

4.1    Study purpose and content

Provide a 20 year vision for managing movement and access to and within the City Centre

Identify an action plan over short, medium and long-term for delivering the above

Integrate into City Centre Area Action Plan / long-term transport strategy

Protecting and enhancing York’s historic environment is critical to future economic success

Current traffic patterns one of biggest  barriers to improving environment and public realm of City Centre.

Strong policy support for enhancing public realm and reducing congestion and car intrusion in City Centre.

The approach will take in to account the recent York City Beautiful and Local Transport Plans.

4.2    Some of the issues

Key public spaces and gateways compromised by traffic, highway infrastructure and parking

Poor connectivity and legibility between different areas of historic centre: e.g. Minster to Eye

Inadequate levels of pedestrian space and priority in historic centre to reflect levels of demand

Rail station gateway provides a poor introduction to the City

Route from station to Minster congested, unclear and low quality

River corridors under-utilised

Inner Ring Road causes severance and delay to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users

4.3    Approach

Improving quality of place is key to economic success

Maximise access to the City Centre, minimise intrusion in the City Centre

By maximising role of public transport, walking and cycling

And hence controlling level of demand for car access

There will be no increase in car usage, but use of public transport, walking and cycling will all be promoted.

4.4    The concept, understanding the functional areas of the City Centre

The historic ‘heart’, containing majority of visitor attractions and the retail core;

Southwest of the Ouse, containing office development and quiet residential area;

North of the Foss, containing quiet  residential area and new Hungate mixed use development;

Southeast of the Foss, containing large diversity of uses: independent / secondary retail, some employment and housing.

Pedestrian priority in the ‘heart’ providing connectivity and legibility throughout historic core

Removal of through traffic from heart (managed access for essential traffic)

Traffic cells allowing general traffic to access different parts of City Centre

Improvements to access by bus, walk and cycle

Intercept car-based trips at edge of York (Park & Ride) and edge of City Centre

There will be a transfer of parking to the outside of the city centre, although there won’t be an reduction in overall parking spaces.

4.5    Developments such as the Teardrop, Coppergate and Hungate will all be key in the City Centre Area Action Plan. The new pedestrian bridge for the Hungate development is now installed and has improved access.

4.6    The rivers in the city are largely unused but this will be looked at as a suggestion to improving city centre access.

4.7    Proposals for managing access and movement

          Foot streets, traffic crossing the Ouse and Lendal Bridges in the morning peak, in terms of numbers of people (based on assumptions of average car and bus occupancies). It shows that pedestrians are the most important mode, whilst private traffic represents a quarter of all person movements and the highways space should be adjusted to account for the requirements of pedestrians.

4.8    The city centre of York layout mirrors the way out of the Meadow Hall shopping centre.

4.9    Quick wins, could the future of all the squares in York follow the transformation of Library Square?

Residents had the opportunity to ask questions

Q -    Can anything be done to encourage shops to stay open later, on the continent and across the world shops open later and offer greater provision. Later opening would improve the appearance and feel of the city centre.

A -     It would be progression for all if shops were open in evenings, but it is down to the shop owners to determine the opening times. With extra staffing cost that come with opening longer it isn’t viable for all shop owners.

Q -    Will York get a high-speed rail link and is this being considered within the current long term plans for York?

A -     Details for high-speed rail links have progressed as far as Birmingham. CYC are aware of the need for a high speed rail link. Decisions by government are to be made later. The Teardrop development is likely to preserve the existing routes.

Q -    Can anything be done about the bus service into town? It is far too expensive and sporadic to be of any use.

A -     The Local Transport Plan is to provide real alternatives to cars, fares of bus services are to be detailed later. They are currently dictated by bus companies.

Q -    Can something be done about private cars accessing town via Coppergate?

A -     The enforcement of the access for buses and cars route is only enforceable by the police.

Q -    Access to the city centre using the pedestrian areas is allowed after 4.30pm, but it isn’t clear, which often leads to altercations between pedestrians and vehicles.

A -     The council policy is to reduce street clutter, although if the present signage isn’t doing what it should then it should be looked at.

Q -    If people are encouraged to walk in to the city centre then more places are required for seating and childrens play areas.

A -     These are all considerations under the City Centre Access Plan. The next step is a consultation in February/March 2012.