Agenda item

The Corporate Director of Economy & Place to present a report which will update Members on the decision taken on 8 February 2018 to implement Hostile Vehicle Mitigation measures in the city centre to protect it from the vehicle as a weapon threat. 

Resolved:  (i)      That the update provided in the report be noted.

(ii)      That Option A be approved and that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Economy & Place, in consultation with the Executive Member for Transport & Planning, to make the experimental traffic regulation order described in the report, subject to prior consultation in relation to practical implementation and potential mitigation measures.

(iii)     That work continue with Saint Sampson Centre and other affected groups to mitigate the impact of the changes.

(iv)    That restrictions to prevent vehicles remaining in the Priority One zone be considered and that proposals on these be brought to the Executive Member for Transport and Planning for a decision.

(v)     That officers be instructed to develop proposals for further phases of city centre security measures to ensure the safety of the city.

Reason:     To enable the work started since the Executive decision on 8 February to be taken forward to the next stage on a risk managed approach, responding to the Police request to protect areas of high footfall against the threat of a vehicle as a weapon attack.

(vi)    That, following on from the experimental regulation order and in line with the motion approved by Full Council on 19 July 2018, a ‘My City Centre’ consultation be held with key stakeholders (including residents, businesses, cycle/pedestrian groups and groups that represent people who have special access requirements) on the wider issues of accessibility, safety and traffic management in the city centre; this to be carried out prior to the implementation of the next phase of hostile vehicle mitigation measures.

Reason:     To ensure that the needs of these groups are properly assessed and taken into account.

The Assistant Director of Transport, Highways & Environment presented a report which provided an update on work undertaken following the Executive’s decision on 8 February 2018 to implement Hostile Vehicle Mitigation measures in the city centre (minute 122 of that meeting refers).  Approval was now sought to progress priority 1 locations to the next stage.

Since 8 February, officers had formed a working group aligned to the York Counter Terrorism Task Group, participated in developing temporary arrangements for the season at the Racecourse, and installed temporary measures in the city centre.  A proposal had been devised to implement an experimental traffic regulation order (TRO) restricting access to the priority 1 area, as detailed in paragraph 7 of the report and in annexes A and B.  This would allow assessment and consultation to take place, and highlight any additional mitigation measures needed, before proceeding to a permanent restriction.

Members considered the following options, set out in paragraphs 31-38 of the report:

Option A – carry out the pre-implementation consultation described in paragraph 24 on the experimental TRO.  This was the recommended option and was supported by the York Counter Terrorism Task Group.

Option B – proceed without the initial consultation, giving only the standard 2 week public notice on the TRO and carrying out a separate consultation with stakeholders and groups on mitigation required to minimise the impact of permanent measures.

Having noted the comments made on this item under Public Participation, it was

Resolved:  (i)      That the update provided in the report be noted.

(ii)      That Option A be approved and that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Economy & Place, in consultation with the Executive Member for Transport & Planning, to make the experimental traffic regulation order (TRO) described in the report, subject to prior consultation in relation to practical implementation and potential mitigation measures.

(iii)     That work continue with Saint Sampson Centre and other affected groups to mitigate the impact of the changes.

(iv)    That restrictions to prevent vehicles remaining in the Priority One zone be considered and that proposals on these be brought to the Executive Member for Transport and Planning for a decision.

(v)     That officers be instructed to develop proposals for further phases of city centre security measures to ensure the safety of the city.

Reason:     To enable the work started since the Executive decision on 8 February to be taken forward to the next stage on a risk managed approach, responding to the Police request to protect areas of high footfall against the threat of a vehicle as a weapon attack.

(vi)    That, following on from the experimental TRO and in line with the motion approved by Full Council on 19 July 2018, a ‘My City Centre’ consultation be held with key stakeholders (including residents, businesses, cycle/pedestrian groups and groups that represent people who have special access requirements) on the wider issues of accessibility, safety and traffic management in the city centre; this to be carried out prior to the implementation of the next phase of hostile vehicle mitigation measures.

Reason:     To ensure that the needs of these groups are properly assessed and taken into account.