The draft transport strategy unveiled by City of York Council this week includes a host of proposals including ‘car-free days’, potential overnight park and ride parking and boosting bus and train use.
But the proposals raise a number of questions about what the plans will look like in practice, how the council will get there and if they are achievable.
Transport executive member Cllr Kate Ravilious and strategy lead Julian Ridge gave us more details.
It comes ahead of the draft strategy being put to the council’s Executive on Thursday, 18 July.
Are the targets for reducing car journeys and boosting public transport use realistic and how will they be achieved?
The draft Strategy proposes reducing car journey miles by 20 per cent, increasing bus and rail use by 50 per cent and doubling walking and cycling by 2030.
But Andrew Morrison, chief executive of the York Civic Trust which advised on the Local Transport Plan, said clearer targets on improving air quality, accessibility and health were needed.
Cllr Ravilious said those details would be coming when the council sets out its plans for implementing the strategy, subject to its approval, in the autumn.
The executive member said: “Part of the implementation of this will be making it easier for that switch from cars to buses, walking and cycling to happen.
“A 20 per cent reduction sounds like a lot, but it’s equivalent to the decline in car use we see during the school holidays, so doing it by 2030 isn’t as unachievable as it might sound.
“Reducing congestion makes the bus network more efficient, so it’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation and it will take some time to do.”
Mr Ridge said: “The average car does about 10,000 miles a year, so we’re talking about a reduction of 2,000 miles over six or seven years, so it’s modest.”
Why are you looking at expanding 20mph limits and ‘car-free days’?
Cllr Ravilious said bringing in 20mph limits in all residential areas, outside schools and at retail sites would have huge health benefits.
She added that while people could be encouraged to not use their vehicle on ‘car-free days’, the council would always accept that some journeys are unavoidable and essential.
Mr Ridge said the majority of residential streets in York were already 20mph.
Cllr Ravilious said: “We also want to look at options for car sharing schemes and car clubs, that reduces the number of miles driven and it’s cheaper than owning a car.”
Is there a future for e-scooters and e-bikes in York under the strategy?
A trial for e-scooters took place in York until May and the Strategy touches on how they could be used going forward.
Cllr Ravilious said both e-scooters and e-bikes had a role to play, including potentially allowing people to get from new housing developments in the areas beyond York.
The executive member said: “Some of the concerns about e-scooters after the trial were about people using them on pavements, the temptation comes from gaps in the cycling network so we need a safe and connected network.
“E-scooters can be really useful if you’re making a single trip, one-way trip to station to catch a train for instance.
“It’s also the range that an e-bike opens, I was in Freiburg and there it’s the norm for someone to live in a village and the obvious way for them to commute is on an e-bike.”
The strategy refers to a ‘Priority Walking, Cycling and Wheeling Network’ – what will that look like?
Cllr Ravilious said a ‘Priority Walking, Cycling and Wheeling Network’ would aim to remove barriers that make getting around unsafe for pedestrians, bikes and others.
The executive member said: “We know there’s parts of the city like bits of the inner ring road that are challenging and hostile, sometimes it’s as simple as not being able to get across them.
“Sometimes pedestrians are left waiting for a long time but it’s about flipping things around so the traffic is moving and more people don’t have to use their cars.
“We’ve also got more than 1,000 metal hoop barriers in York which are difficult for wheelchair users or mums with buggies to get through, there’s a programme to start removing them.”
How will park and rides become transport ‘hubs’?
Mr Ridge said the council hoped to make it so the city’s park and ride facilities could expand their roles to allow for people to park overnight or catch intercity buses.
The official said: “York’s park and rides have been an unqualified success, and this strategy isn’t just about transport in the city it’s about how it links to other areas.
“When people leave their cars overnight so they can catch a bus to Leeds that would take pressure of the A64, it’s about using the transport network in more sophisticated ways.”