Proposals to make a street in a York village one-way have been backed after a resident said his wall had been hit.

Peter Lindsay, who lives in Walker Lane, Wheldrake, said two crashes into his property followed an incredible increase in traffic in Wheldrake fuelled by house building.

City of York Council transport spokesperson Cllr Kate Ravilious said she supported the changes in the narrow street which had become intimidating to road users.

Cllr Ravilious’ decision to back the changes means the proposal, which would see Walker Lane made one-way from Main Street to North Lane, are now set for a formal consultation.

A final decision will then be made subject to the results of the consultation.

A council Transport Decision Session heard on Tuesday, November 12, that all residents who took part in an earlier informal consultation backed the changes.

Walker Lane is between 3m and 3.8m-wide, making it difficult for two vehicles to pass each other according to a council report.

The report added vehicles failing to negotiate the turn into Walker Lane from Main Street had resulted in them hitting Mr Lindsay’s wall, with two-way traffic also raising safety concerns.


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Mr Lindsay said he bought 45 Main Street on the junction from his parents after they died in 2013 and has since rented it out.

He told Tuesday’s meeting Walker Lane was so narrow that it was not even wide enough for footpaths.

Walker Lane, in Wheldrake, York, as viewed from North Lane. Picture is from Google Street ViewWalker Lane, in Wheldrake, York, as viewed from North Lane. Picture is from Google Street View

The home owner said: “Traffic’s increased incredibly over the years since more new developments have sprung up, Wheldrake’s no longer a little village.

“My property’s been hit twice, latterly in 2023, and we never found the person who did it.”

Cllr Ravilious said the restrictions would also support the council’s aim to encourage people to walk and cycle more.

The transport executive member said: “This is a really narrow road so it’s important that we do this for safety reasons, it’s intimidating to use if you’ve got traffic on it.

“It will mean that it’s slightly longer to drive around but it won’t be so significant as to cause a real problem.”