Agenda item

This report reviews arrangements for the Christmas Market 2024 and the options for blue badge access.

Report to follow.

Resolved:

                  i.         Noted and approved the existing arrangements for traders of Shambles Market (year round market) to pass through the Hostile Vehicle Measures during the extended pedestrianised hours of the Christmas Market after 5pm, so that they are not held in the city unnecessarily until the 7pm lifting of the vehicle restrictions. This affects between 20 and 40 Shambles Market traders vehicles per day.

                 ii.         Noted the advice of Counter Terrorism Policing and the Safety Advisory Group that all vehicular access should not be permitted during the Christmas Market. Recognising that the risk is not just because of increased pedestrian traffic, but because of the specific increased terrorist risk at Christmas markets.

               iii.         Noted the increased overall footfall during the Christmas Market period noting that the pattern of peak footfall is not significantly dissimilar between the Christmas Market period and the summer holidays, see Annex B.

               iv.         Noted the positive impact of permitting Blue Badge holders’ vehicular access to the pedestrianised area for disabled people during the Christmas Market period, noting that on average currently around 18 Blue Badge holders drive into the pedestrianised area between 10:30am to 5pm i.e. an average of 2.7 per hour.

                v.         Noted the impacts of increased risk of collisions/accidents between pedestrians and vehicles linked to additional vehicles within the pedestrianised streets, (including the potential negative impacts on some groups with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010).

               vi.         Agreed to implement Option D within the report – Permit Blue Badge vehicular access to the Goodramgate Loop excluding Church Street, after 5pm during the Christmas Market period, as happens for the Shambles Market traders. The restrictions are lifted at 7pm when the Christmas Market closes. There would be no Blue Badge vehicular access to the Blake Street, St. Helen’s Square and Lendal route. This would provide equity for Blue Badge holders, with the arrangements in place for the Shambles Market traders, but access would not be available in core footstreet hours 10:30am to 5pm. This would be contrary to the advice of Counter Terrorism Policing and the Safety Advisory Group. The figures show that whilst total footfall is significantly higher overall during the Christmas Market period than an August week, the peak hourly footfall after 5pm during the Christmas Market period is similar to peak hourly footfall during August. Parked Blue Badge holders’ vehicles combined with the increased footfall may cause an issue for market traders and pedestrians to pass safely and add to a sense of overcrowding.

             vii.         Noted that the report had been written in the context of the current threat level. In theory the threat level could be raised by central government/MI5 or the police aware of a local specific risk. Executive therefore recognise that should they instruct some level of blue badge holder vehicular access during the Christmas Market, but the terrorism threat is raised nationally or locally then officers have the right to withdraw permission for blue badge holder access and that of Shambles Market Traders as the basis on which the Executive instructed officers was made has changed.

Reason:     Executive, being minded to permit some form of Blue Badge vehicular access during the Christmas Market period, consider whether the chosen option is reasonable and proportionate having fully considered all relevant matters. Executive has weighed-up the equalities and human rights benefits to Blue Badge holders and balanced those with the wider public interest, including the right to life, the duty to protect life, and the potential negative impact that increased pedestrians and vehicular traffic in the pedestrianised area could have on some groups with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.