York: work to install bollards in Parliament Street brought forward

The announcement comes as City of York Council revealed that ongoing work to install the permanent vehicle protective measures in Minster Gates, next to York Minster, has been delayed by one week.

Today (Thursday, September 28) the council announced that work to install bollards at the junction of Pavement and Parliament Street outside All Saints Church, is to be brought forward.

Where the bollards are to be installed (Image: Dylan Connell)

The work was originally due to take place after Christmas, but the council now says work will begin on Monday, October 9. The council did not provide a completion date but said the work will be finished by Christmas.

Work was due to start in mid-October to install bollards in Blake Street, but the council has said this will now be pushed back to January 2024 to allow for the work in Parliament Street to get underway.

The council says ongoing work in Minster Gates, which has seen the entrance to the street from Minster Yard close, will now be completed on Friday, October 20.

York Minster above Minster Gates (Image: Dylan Connell)

In the announcement, the council cited “complex pipe and cable work” as the reason behind the delay.

The council says it is continuing to work with York BID and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to signposting pedestrian routes into the affected streets and is offering a shopping promotion to support businesses affected by the ongoing work. 

A council spokesperson added that a public liaison officer from the contractor carrying out the work will meet visit business affected and talk to them. They said that where this is not a possible, a letter will be left.

James Gilchrist, the council’s director of transport, environment and planning apologised for the delay to the work in Minster Gates and said bringing forward the work in Parliament Street will mean less disruption during the festive period.

“I’d like to apologise for the extension of work at Minster Gates and very much appreciate the patience of those affected, including the Minster,” he said.

“I’m very pleased that we are able to bring forward the work outside All Saints Church. This means that the more attractive, permanent measures will be in place during the busy Christmas period, and so minimise the locations where we will need to install temporary protection measures.”

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David Colthup, chapter steward and chief operating officer at York Minster, said he welcomed the work being carried out by the council.

“City of York Council and York Minster have been working on security within the cathedral's precinct as part of the development of the York Minster Neighbourhood Plan,” he said. 

“The bollards at Minster Gates are part for the council’s wider security measures for the city but reflect the importance of the heritage setting of the iconic South Transept of York Minster. 

“We welcome any measures that help safeguard the city and the cathedral."

Bollards have already been installed in High Petergate, Lendal and Spurriergate. Work is underway in Goodramgate and Shambles.

The work is being carried out under the council’s hostile vehicle mitigation scheme, first introduced by the former Liberal Democrat-Green administration to combat the threat of ‘vehicle as weapon attacks’.