Hundreds have say on York's transport problems in major consultation

Many more have attended drop-in sessions at points around the city.

But with less than a month to go before the ten-week consultation closes on February 4, council transport chiefs are keen for as many people to have their say as possible.

They’re particularly keen for more teenagers and young people aged 16-24 to join in.

Pete Kilbane, the council’s executive member for transport, told The Press that as of January 10, 615 people had responded to the consultation online.

“This does not include the people who have been to our drop-in sessions, attended a ward committee or stakeholder seminar, picked up info at a library, or who we’ve spoken to out and about with the mobile library,” he said.

But the authority was still keen to hear from more people, Cllr Kilbane said.

“Our main call to action is for 16-24 year olds as this is the group we haven’t heard from as much as we would like.”

Traffic queues in Piccadilly at the start of the Christmas fair last year (Image: Derek Ralphs)

Cllr Kilbane said he had been ‘really encouraged by the open and honest conversations we’re having’.

"We’re here to listen to all feedback,” he said. "It's not too late to take part and if you have not yet contributed then we really do want to hear from you."

Council staff have been crunching some of the data from responses received so far.

One surprise, Cllr Kilbane admitted, was that traffic ‘pinch points’ have been reported across the city – not only at the usual congestion hotspots such as Bootham and Fulford Road.

“They are much more widely spread than we expected.”

Jumping red lights also isn’t a problem confined to the city centre, he added. “We’re getting this reported in villages as well.”

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The top road safety issued reported so far is about the poor quality of road and pavement surfaces – followed by vehicles passing too close.

Other concerns to have been identified so far include:

• buses – especially bus routes, accessibility, and timetables
• physical barriers to cyclists and wheelchair users
• the need for better public transport in areas outside the city boundaries so those working in hospitality can get into York

The 10-week consultation was launched last November.

Council bosses say it is first time since 2010 that the authority has looked ‘holistically’ at all the different modes of transport across the whole of York – from the footstreets and city centre to villages and rural areas.

The online consultation features interactive digital maps where those taking part can report areas of concert such as pinch-points or red light jumping.

But there have also been a series of drop-in sessions and ward meetings at which people have been able to air their views.

More will be held over the next couple of weeks, including:

• Monday January 15: mobile library at Skelton (Brecksfield, 2.40pm to 3.50pm) and Osbaldwick (The Leys, 4.30pm to 5.30pm)
• Monday January 15 – Bishopthorpe Ward Meeting, The Marcia, 6.00pm to 7.30pm
• Wednesday January 17 – Heslington and Hull Road ward meeting, Heslington Village Meeting Room, 6.30pm
• Saturday January 20 – Friargate Meeting House, 2.00pm to 5.00pm public drop-in
• Tuesday January 23 – Wheldrake ward meeting, Elvington Village Hall, 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Cllr Kilbane has pledged that responses to the consultation will shape the authority’s new Local Transport Plan for the city, which it is hoped will be in place by this summer.

The consultation closes at 11.59pm on Sunday February 4. You can have your say at ourbigconversation.york.gov.uk/