City of York Council has revealed plans to improve Piccadilly as part of its major Castle Gateway redevelopment scheme.
The council will build 106 apartments in Piccadilly and a new bridge across the river Foss, creating a new cycling and walking route in the city centre.
As a result the council looked at creating a segregated cycle lane in Piccadilly – but it says this is not possibe because the road is too narrow.
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The council has now unveiled its finalised plans to transform the road into a “vibrant city neighbourhood”.
These include putting a 20mph speed limit in place, widening pavements “to create a gentle meander” and putting loading bays in pavement areas to reduce obstructions for cyclists.
On street parking would also be removed from the street.
The council says it has had to make compromises in the design for the road because of limited space, the impact on public transport or limited budgets.
Not wide enough for cycle lane
A spokesperson said that, despite discussions with cycling groups and lots of different ideas, the road was not wide enough at the city centre end to meet the required widths for a cycle lane alongside a bus route.
But they added that there will be other improvements for cyclists.
The pavement will also be extended to create more space for pedestrians, seating and pavement cafes.
Andy Kerr, head of regeneration at City of York Council, said: “The My Castle Gateway process lays bare the challenges and dilemmas we face when designing regeneration which meets the varied and sometimes conflicting ambitions of residents.
“Any design of our streets has to respond to the space that is available.
“The available space must also be balanced according to the needs of all its users.
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“The new layout on Piccadilly strikes that balance by prioritising pedestrians, cyclists, and buses, along with all the other massive wins for active and sustainable travel within the Castle Gateway masterplan.
“Our highways team is working with the developers on Piccadilly to ensure that the design proposals are met. As each development progresses on Piccadilly, the look and feel of the area will change section by section.”