A campaigner is urging councillors to introduce a maximum speed limit of 20mph around York Station.
Anna Semlyen, who leads 20’s Plenty for York, says the roads are an “casualty blackspot” with three serious injury collisions on Queen Street in five years.
Plans are underway to create the £25m York Station Gateway, which will see the demolition of the Queen Street Bridge and a remodelled approach to the transport hub.
Anna said that these plans should include a 20mph for station approaches.
“The York gateway still isn’t at the safe system 20mph limit. It will cost only £15,000. Kings Cross, Euston, Newcastle and Edinburgh stations all have the 20mph limit.
“A 20mph maximum at York’s transport hubs will help the council’s goal of a 20% traffic reduction, which I support – but it is a goal that is simply not credible without serious targets for zero killed or serious injuries by 2030.”
She said City of York Council can introduce experimental 20mph traffic regulation orders immediately with consultation in the next 18 months.
In a speech to the council, Anna said the station gateway will bring “significant conflicting movements between the new cycle route and buses, taxis and short stay parking where the current car park is located between the Railway Institute and the station.
“That must surely itself be a good reason for 20mph.
“Also there will be a major flow of pedestrians across between the station and southbound bus stops alongside the city wall.
“By a reduction of road speeds you’ll be potentially be avoiding some crashes, preventing injuries and those that still occur will be less serious or life altering.
“Overall journey times are unlikely to be affected because of the nature of stop-go driving and bunching in central parts of cities. It will reduce acceleration, halve noise and there would be less pollution.”
She urged residents to back her campaign and email the executive member for transport Cllr Pete Kilbane to call for the 20mph limit near the station – [email protected].
You can learn more about 20’s Plenty for York here.