Fresh plans drawn up to curb car use in city

York Council has launched the scheme to target motorists who are continuing to flout traffic restrictions throughout the city centre in the hope the move will also attract more pedestrians to the shopping precincts.

The second phase of the city centre’s Footstreets Review has been published and includes proposals to control the number of vehicles using routes including Davygate, St Sampson’s Square and Church Street.

The plans include introducing experimental Traffic Regulation Orders and extending the hours of operation to between 10.30am and 5pm for every day of the week.

A questionnaire which was sent out to homes and businesses in the city centre throughout the summer identified a series of key areas including the need to standardise and extend the hours of traffic restrictions. Calls were also made to extend the pedestrianised area to Fossgate, while also encouraging more cyclists into the city centre.

Grave concerns have been expressed over air quality in York despite ongoing attempts to tackle pollution blackspots on the city’s roads network as car fumes from traffic tailbacks have contributed to levels of nitrogen dioxide. Studies have revealed that pollution has been linked to an estimated 158 premature deaths in York every year. The cabinet member for transport, planning and sustainability, Coun Dave Merrett, has stated he hopes car use will be cut by five per cent in three years amid attempts to promote alternative modes of transport, including walking, cycling and buses. The council announced in August that more than £3m is being spent to give York’s central streets a facelift to attract more shoppers and ensure the city can compete against its main rival destinations including Bruges and Barcelona.

The proposals under the second phase of the Footstreets Review will be considered by Coun Merrett at a meeting today.

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