Issued by City of York Council
City of York Council has published and shared its city centre evacuation plan to assist the emergency services and the council manage an orderly evacuation in the event of a major incident.
The police and fire service routinely clear small public areas surrounding an incident to preserve life and evidence, but when there is a major event it may be necessary to isolate a larger area.
To help them do this, the plan details how to clear part of or all of the area within the Bar Walls. This city centre area has been divided into three areas with 24 numbered zones.
City centre ward councillors, the emergency services, bus and taxi companies and city centre businesses have been consulted on these plans, as has York Railway Station.
Businesses and organisations in the city have been given A1 maps of these areas and zones so staff can become familiar with which zone they are in. They have also been advised to have an evacuation plan as part of their business continuity planning and, along with residents, to follow the instructions given by or on behalf of the emergency services.
Cllr Dafydd Williams, City of York Councils Cabinet Member for Crime and Stronger Communities said: Since the introduction of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, much more emphasis has been placed on the need for responding agencies to plan for all eventualities. This plan is designed for dealing with smaller scale incidents within the walls and also with larger scale ones such as a major fire with the safety of human life uppermost in our minds. I recommend that all residents affected should familiarise themselves with the map which can be found at www.york.gov.uk.
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