Gillygate, York: 'We’d clean the shop front every day’ - Traders speak out a year on from air quality schemes

A year ago, data showed emissions at the junction north of York city centre were above legal limits during 2023 and it was the only one that exceeded them.

Gillygate has been prone to queues of through traffic producing fumes which gather due to the canyon-like conditions created by the row of buildings on either side of the road.

But recently-released figures for 2024 showed there had been a 27 per cent drop in nitrogen oxide (NO2) emissions year-on-year, bringing them below national air quality targets.

NO2 levels recorded at the junction were 31.1 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m3), compared to the legal limit of 40µg/m3 and 2023’s 43µg/m3.

The fall has been welcomed by York Council’s Labour environment spokesperson Coun Jenny Kent, Gillygate’s Air Quality Action group and others.

An increase in the electric buses, taxis and council vehicles in York along with efforts to tackle idling are thought to have contributed to the drop in emissions.

A trial to change signalling at the junctions at either end of Gillygate to try and improve traffic flows remains ongoing after starting in January.

Following news of the drop in emissions, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) spoke to Gillygate traders and local councillors about the situation with air quality.

Many welcomed the improvements but felt there was still work to be done.

Some felt efforts to tackle pollution could go further including restricting traffic to give Gillygate a more pedestrian-friendly high street feel and support its tight-knit community.

But others were less optimistic and said they were still feeling the effects of pollution despite steps in the right direction.

‘Ideally we’d clean the shop front every day’

Jordan Thomson, owner of Love Cheese, said his shop bore the brunt of pollution daily.

Mr Thomson said: “The thing that’s always been an issue is the amount of particles in the air that leaves a coating of black dust.

“Ideally we’d clean the shop front every day, as soon as we open the door on a morning we can see the build up of dust from the night before, it leaves the street feeling grubby.

“I’ve had this shop for almost three years, I wouldn’t say I’ve noticed a difference in air quality in the time I’ve been here but it does feel like the traffic can get down the street more quickly now.

“It would be good if they could get more street sweepers down to Gillygate once every couple of weeks, we’ve all got our ideas about what we’d like to see and in an ideal world the street would be pedestrianised, but it’s not going to happen.

“Perhaps the size of vehicles coming down could be limited, when they go past the shop we can feel the building shake.

“Another option could be to make the street one way but that would be very complicated to arrange, it’s not wide enough to have tables outside either so there’s no perfect answer.”

‘It doesn’t stop me working here’

Louise Ndlovu, owner of the The Lounge hair salon, said Gillygate’s traffic problems would not stop her loving the road and its community.

Ms Ndlovu said: “I’ll have been here for 13 years this July, I’ve always worked in busy places but when I came here I noticed how heavy the traffic was.

“People walk here and they don’t realise there’s going to be all this traffic, we’re the last shop on the corner of Gillygate so it’s particularly heavy here.

“The health effects from the emissions are noticeable too and it’s right outside our door, I had to have all the tests for breathing when I was pregnant.

“I don’t know how it could ever be resolved, I don’t think it could be pedestrianised because it’s so close to York Hospital.

“The sound of the ambulance sirens used to make me jump but the traffic generally is just something in the background now, I try not to think about it.

“It doesn’t stop me working here though, I’ve just signed another lease on the shop for five more years.

“I’m not going anywhere, as traders we try to look out for each other here, it’s like a community.”

‘Improvements have been marginal, but not sufficient’

Charlie Bridge, one of the partners in Gillygate’s Fairer World fair trade shop, said efforts made to improve air quality had not gone far enough.

Mr Bridge said: “This shop’s been here for almost 30 years and air quality has deteriorated in that time, it’s probably due to the growth in the volume of traffic.

“There has been a marginal improvement in air quality in the past year, but it’s not sufficient to be acceptable.

“The improvements in the last year might be related to traffic management, but there’s also been other things that would affect the flow of traffic like road works.

“Congestion still remains but there’s perhaps less of it, it’s not as if the traffic flows from one end of the street to another, it’ll be easier to see if there’s any difference in the autumn.

“I think the street should be closed to through traffic except for buses, emergency vehicles and taxis so that people feel more confident crossing thre street.”

‘Gillygate could be a more healthy and vibrant place to live’

Labour councillors Rachel Melly and Dave Merrett represent Guildhall ward which covers Gillygate.

Coun Merrett said ongoing efforts to reduce congestion city-wide including through its Movement and Place Plan which the council is currently drafting aimed to make the lasting improvements Gillygate needed.

The councillor said: “Of all the parts of the inner ring road that were previously designated as air control zones, Gillygate has remained a problem.

“The council previously did some more detailed work to find out why and found that buses were a heavy contributor, we’ve since made progress with more electric buses and grants for low or zero emission taxis.

“The traffic signalling trial has taken the queues that used to sit in Gillygate and moved them to the other side of junction with Lord Mayor’s Walk.

“The emissions can disperse more easily there, but it’s not a long term solution.”

Coun Melly said progress had been made in reducing pollution but more needed to be done to improve air quality.

The Labour councillor said: “Even though air quality’s improved and it’s below legal limits pollution’s still higher than World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended levels.

“People living here are breathing in this air so we’re going to keep this on the agenda, Gillygate could be a more healthy and vibrant place to live.

“Many of those living here are in social housing so they don’t have a choice about where to live, some of them are particularly vulnerable to the effects of pollution because of their health or age.

“A few years ago the council designed and made posters for an anti-idling campaign that businesses could use and signs have also been put up on lamposts, but they’re small and hard to read if you’re sat in a car on the road.”

‘We’re making positive progress’

Council environment executive member Coun Kent said officials recognised that everyone would want to go further.

Coun Kent said: “We’re making positive progress in tackling pollution on Gillygate and we really welcome working with residents and traders on air quality improvements there

“The current signalling trial to manage traffic flows and improve air quality builds on previous progress, and will inform future decision making once we have sufficient data, both on Gillygate and surrounding areas.

“This trial reflects consultation feedback on our Local Transport Strategy in which 74 per cent of respondents agreed that the city should protect the environment by tackling poor air quality.”