York Central access road plans could be disastrous for environment, say Greens

The party, which has been part of a ruling coalition on City of York Council since last summer, says the plans submitted last month will "result in a car-dominated development".

The York Central scheme is seen as vital to the region’s economy, bringing in thousands of jobs and much-needed homes to tackle the city’s affordable housing crisis.

Proposals for the 110-acre development would result in 6,500 jobs and 2,500 homes created.

The York Central Partnership, which includes Network Rail, Homes England and the city council, submitted a planning application last month for the first phase of infrastructure works to unlock the site and allow development to start.

The application detailed proposals for roads, cycleways and footpaths and a new bridge across the East Coast Mainline.

The York Green Party has now formally objected to the planning application and is calling for key changes to be made, including a limit on general traffic through the site.

They have suggested the use of a bus gate at Marble Arch and for the whole site to be declared an ultra low emission zone for all vehicles.

Party chair Tom Franklin said: “The applicant’s own modelling shows that the proposals as they stand, will result in a car-dominated development with the new park and square blighted at peak times by long lines of queuing traffic.

"This will worsen gridlock across the city’s transport network. This is set to be a missed opportunity, which left unchanged will result in a 20th century rather than a 21st century development, dominated by noise and traffic for much of the day.”

He added: "We support the principle of a new access road to make the site accessible for construction, public transport, deliveries and other priority uses.

"But in order to make York Central the low carbon development it claims to be, general traffic through the site has to be effectively restricted, particularly at peak times."

A spokesman for the York Central Partnership said: “The Outline Planning Application approved in 2019, established the principle of movement through the site by putting the requirements of pedestrians and cyclists before public transport and private cars with significant investment in improved pedestrian and cycle connections to and through the site, new cycle lanes, access to the railway station and bus services..”

“We are confident that our traffic plans will meet the current and future needs of the York Central development and the wider City. The scheme has been designed so it can adapt in the future to changing City traffic patterns as the Council looks to review these as part of its new Transport Plan.”