•WITH regard to the traffic/parking situation at the university, it is worth looking back.
The cumulative traffic impact assessment of key developments in the south/east of York undertaken a few years ago by Faber Maunsell stated that the Heslington East Campus development “will result in an increase in student and staff numbers from current levels of more than 10,000 students, approximately 2,700 university staff and 850 employed in related research companies over a period of ten years. An integrated approach will be taken to co-location of academic, residential, social and business/research activities”.
As an Osbaldwick parish councillor, I attended many Heslington east campus extension forum meetings and we were told that there would be two large car parks, one on Heslington Lane and one on an extended Grimston Bar Park&Ride.
I must agree with Peter Evely (then City of York Council’s head of network management) when he said at the planning meeting that if these proposals were not carried forward, the traffic problem would be a disaster.
There was no mention of parking being encouraged on roads around Badger Hill, as one sees today.
Malcolm Kettlestring, Yew Tree Mews, Osbaldwick, York.
• THE danger caused by cars parking in University Road has gone on for months, and from The Press of November 2, it seems it will be next year before anything can be done.
At a Heslington ward committee meeting some months ago, I was told that dealing with illegal parking is divided between the police and the council, and that the problem was a temporary one caused by building work on the campus.
The authorities should recognise that if drivers have to pay to park on the campus and it is free on the road, they will choose the road, even when the building work is completed.
This problem could be solved as follows: If pedestrians, particularly those with prams, are forced to walk in the road because of cars parked on the footpath, that is dangerous and the police have adequate powers to deal with parking in dangerous positions If some vehicles are not considered to be causing danger, they are causing unnecessary obstruction and the council (I am told) has powers to deal with them Warning notices should be placed on the vehicles, followed by penalty notices if necessary.
JB Campbell, Fulford, York.
• AS A resident of Badger Hill, I am becoming increasingly concerned about the levels of on-street parking .
The increase in parking is directly related to the increase in student numbers, university staff and contractors at the Heslington East campus.
In addition, traffic delays due to the implementation of the new traffic light system on Field Lane/Windmill Lane means more motorists are leaving their cars on the estate and walking to the campus – essentially using the estate as a free car park.
During the planning process for the expansion of the campus, we were assured that our concerns over parking would be addressed. This has not been the case.
I suggest the council gives serious consideration to implementing some form of parking management on the estate to reduce the numbers of on-street parking.
Indeed in my opinion, it is for the university to address the issues of additional parking space and not let their neighbours deal with the parking consequences of the expansion.
These are the very same residents who have on the whole tolerated the expansion and the resultant increase in student numbers, student lets and negative impact on the community balance of the estate.
Rob Mollan, Deramore Drive, Badger Hill, York.
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