Twenty-four areas of York have been earmarked for the first upgrades to footpaths and cycle routes.
City of York Council has identified the priority improvement routes for people walking and in wheelchairs, which could see footpaths widened, and crossings and benches installed.
Stretches of road have also been identified for an improved cycling network under the new Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.
Now the council is to seek funding for the updates.
The plan sets out the council’s ambition to eventually improve routes in 66 areas across the city, in its suburbs and surrounding villages.
The zones have been mapped out and grouped according to key destinations such as schools, shops and workplaces.
Officials have drawn up a list of 24 of those zones, eight each in central York, the surburbs and villages, that the council will prioritise for funding bids for improvements.
Here are the zones:
| Central | Suburban | Villages |
|---|---|---|
| City Centre North | Rawcliffe Lane / Eastholme Drive / Green Lane | Bishopthorpe village centre |
| City Centre South | Heworth Green / East Parade / 6th Avenue / 4th Avenue | Stockton on the Forest village |
| Bootham / Clifton / Water End (East of Ouse) | Melrosegate / Green Dykes Lane / University Road | Poppleton Public Transport hubs, Northminster, Knapton |
| Station / Micklegate / River Ouse quadrant | Clifton Backies / Kingsway North / Water Lane | Copmanthorpe village centre |
| The Groves / Haxby Road / Huntington Road | Acomb Road / Hamilton Drive / Green Lane | Poppleton village centre |
| York Central / Salisbury Road / Terrace area | South Bank South and Racecourse access | Strensall village centre inc. school |
| Gillygate / Clarence Street / Wigginton Road / Haxby Road | York Road / Front Street / Acomb Green | Dunnington village centre |
| Foss Islands Road / James Street / Layerthorpe | Fulford area | Wheldrake village |
Improvments which could take place include new and improved crossings, removing existing barriers, more lighting and CCTV coverage and cutting back plants and other vegetation.
Removing pavement and reducing on-street parking and lowering speed limits could also be looked at.
The stretches of road earmarked for an improved cycling network are those between the Malton Road-Stockton Lane roundabout, Heworth Green, Monkgate, Deangate, Lendal Bridge and York Central.
Here are the cycling network routes identified for the earliest improvements:
| Tier | Project |
|---|---|
| Top | Malton Road / Stockton Lane roundabout – Heworth Green – Monkgate – Deangate – Lendal Bridge – Leeman Road – York Central |
| Top | Bootham – Clifton (Bootham Bar to Rawcliffe Lane) |
| Top | Ouse Bridge – Micklegate – The Mount – Tadcaster Road – York College |
| Top | Micklegate Bar – Blossom Street – Holgate Road – Hamilton Drive /Holly Bank Road junction. |
| Top | Land North of Monks Cross – Monks Cross – Vangarde – Malton Rd – Heworth Green – Monkgate – City Centre |
| Top | Rail Station – Lendal Bridge – Gillygate / Lord Mayors Walk junction |
| Second | Tang Hall Lane / Fifth Avenue – Foss Islands Path – Hungate – Aldwark – Lord Mayors Walk – York St. John University |
| Second | Acomb Road (Manor Drive South – Fox junction) |
| Second | Tang Hall Lane – Foss Islands Path – Hungate – Ouse Bridge – riverside – York Rail Station |
| Second | Copmanthorpe – Tadcaster Road – Blossom Street – York Rail Station |
The plan approved by the council’s Executive on Thursday, December 12 would provide a starting point for detailed designs for routes to be drawn up and funding bids lodged.
It comes alongside the wider goal of encouraging more people to walk, cycle and use other modes of active travel set out in the council’s recently approved Transport Strategy.
Better connected
Campaigners welcomed the plans on Thursday, but concerns were raised about the involvement of disabled people in drawing them up.
Chris Pollock, of the York Civic Trust, said it was a start in helping the council to get more Active Travel England funding than it could without a plan.
The York Cycle Campaign’s Andy Shrimpton said approval would mean the progress of projects could be tracked and called for more engagement to encourage walking and cycling.
But Anne Norton, of the York Disability Rights Forum, said language in the plan was not inclusive enough and the group had not had enough time to properly scrutinise it.
Transport executive lead Cllr Ravilious and council deputy leader Cllr Pete Kilbane both apologised for the way engagement with the group had been handled.
Liberal Democrat opposition Deputy Leader Cllr Paula Widdowson said efforts to secure funding for the improvements should be monitored.
Cllr Ravilious said improvements to infrastructure would help make York a heathier and better-connected place while also easing pressure on existing roads.
The executive member said: “This plan is all about making walking, wheeling and cycling safer, more accessible and simpler so more people can choose to travel this way.
“It puts us in prime position to bid for external funding to deliver ambitious projects across York.
“We’ll also be using this plan to prioritise improvements and repairs to cycle routes and pavements during our routine highway maintenance programme.”