Agenda item
Public Participation
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At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. Members of the public may speak on agenda items or on matters within the remit of the committee. Please note that our registration deadlines have changed to 2 working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at remote meetings. The deadline for registering at this meeting is Friday 5 February 2021.
To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill in an online registration form. If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting whose details can be found at the foot of the agenda.
Webcasting of Remote Public Meetings Please note that, subject to available resources, this remote public meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The remote public meeting can be viewed live and on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts. During coronavirus, we've made some changes to how we're running council meetings. See our coronavirus updates (www.york.gov.uk/COVIDDemocracy) for more information on meetings and decisions. |
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Minutes:
It was reported that there had been ten registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
Cllr Fenton was joined by local resident Sarah Costello in requesting that the Residents Priority Parking scheme in the Revival Estate be implement despite not receiving the 50% response rate required. They noted the high support from those that responded and the unique nature of the area which might have contributed to a response of below 50%, they also requested the a 20 MPH speed limit be introduced.
Cllr Craghill spoke in favour of the proposals relating to Navigation Road Walking & Cycling Improvements. She noted the mixed response from residents for a one way plug in the area and therefore, welcomed an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) to test how it in the changes would work.
Cristian Santabarbara spoke in relation to the Cycle Courier Proposal to Permit Access to Footstreet Area, he outlined that cyclists needed a trial scheme to allow access through the city centre.
Robyn Jankel from the York Cycle Campaign noted that they supported the proposals for Navigation Road and would support a trial to offer a safe north south access for cyclists through the city. They also highlights the interruptions to regular cycle networks while flood defence work was being undertaken and a concern that the Council was not delivering a good enough or fast enough solution to the interruptions caused.
Max Potts spoke as a business owner in the city centre who uses cycle couriers to deliver food. He outlined the need for a safe and efficient route needed for couriers through the city centre. He noted that the radius of delivers had shrunk due to the requirement for cyclists to walk through the city centre and the need for couriers to make two delivers per hour to earn the minimum wage, something which was increasingly difficult for couriers due to restrictions in the city centre.
Alex Marshall spoke as President of the IWGB union for precarious workers. He noted that current restrictions on couriers in the city centre, had meant that couriers faced failing to deliver on time and the financial costs of this or fines for breaking the current rules which could amount to a couriers wages for the day. He expressed that couriers had worked as key workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and asked the Council support them by amending the rules on the footstreets.
Nick West also owned a business in York, he noted that business’ like his own would not have survived during COVID-19 without couriers and expressed the need for couriers to be able to move around the city at all times of day efficiently to deliver food on time. he also noted that current restrictions had had impact on car drivers that worked as couriers.
Christian Taylor noted that his business had reduced the number of days it opened due to challenges presented by COVID-19 and a lack of government support. He expressed that couriers played a vital part to his business and that the current restrictions to the foot streets had had a negative impact on couriers working in the city.
Cllr Kilbane raised concerns that a review of cycle options in the footstreets area as proposed in the report to agenda item 9 would delay the implementing of solutions to allow cyclists and couriers access through the city centre. He noted that the closure of Terry Avenue would mean losing a north south route through the city and recommended that that the Council engage stakeholders such as disability groups and the York Cycle Campaign to safely amend the footstreets restrictions.
Cllr Melly noted the that the city had benefited from the extension of the footstreets in the city, but noted that improvements were required and that more should be open to cyclists. She noted that the Police already had the ability to enforce against dangerous cycling and couriers required access to perform their job. She also noted that current restrictions did not prevent all vehicles accessing the city centre and that cycle couriers could be added to the vehicles with authorised access.