Jim Sotheran - 16 November, 2010
A case of shutting the stable afterwards as the old historic hangars at Clifton have now gone, but all heavy traffic, delivery vehicles and such diverted to a wharehouse on the outskirts of York, the hangars would have been ideal if some idiot hadn't had them knocked down and a fleet of small electric delivery vehicles would ferry goods into the city, preserving the historic streets that get pounded by these huge beasts every morning, the saving on street maintenance would be worth it.
Tim Hawcroft - 7 November, 2010
1. Forget the ideas that we are all suddenly going to cycle to work/use the bus and for once have a proper integrated solution.
2. Switch off traffic lights at non peak times (as per many towns). Would save a fortune in maintenance cost and stop start motoring.
3. Stop the University from using Heslington as an overspill car park and make them honour their commitment to residents.
4. Get rid of the 1/4 full bendy buses.
Dan Hirst - 4 November, 2010
1/ Make all the 'Park & Ride' bus fares a flat £1 per head each way, preferably free if we're serious about making a big difference.
2/ Change all the lanes on entries to Ring Road roundabouts to best reflect where traffic actually goes at peak times.
Penny Hutchinson - 1 November, 2010
Big fines for anyone (van drivers are the biggest offenders) who park thoughtlessly on kerbs, half on/ half off the pavement, reducing space for traffic to flow past. There was gridlock at Monk Bar last week when a lorry delivering barrels of beer, parked across the road.
Richard Lane - 31 Oct, 2010
There are three parts to York's "traffic problems": immobility, congestion and danger. There are only two real solutions: congestion charging or the removal of cars altogether from large parts of the city.
Here's why:
Congestion is the main detterent to people driving in York. If the roads were less congested more people would drive. This is called "suppressed demand", and this is why road upgrades and Park and Ride schemes will not be able to reduce congestion in the long term. Once more road space is opened up, more people are encouraged to drive ("induced demand"). Congestion reaches the same level as it was before.
Road charging is the only way of reducing demand for road space that has been shown to work.
The alternative is to accept a certain level of congestion, but limit it to fewer roads, saving the rest for public transport, cycling and emergency services. This would deal with air quality issues.
References for all these statements, and a fuller explanation of the effects I'm talking about can be found in a pamphlet I produced back in 2006: "The case for Road Pricing in York".
See roadpricing.greenisp.org/GettingAroundp2.htm
I don't like the idea of road pricing, but it could be made equitable, and I can't see any other solution.
Stuart Jones - 30 Oct, 2010
Easy: Allowing all traffic to use bus lanes out of peak times (as is the case in London) would be a relatively small but low cost solution.
Hard: Congestion charge the centre.
James Deery - 29 Oct, 2010
1 - Increase the one way system around the city. Two lanes move faster than one less conjestion at junctions people more likely to walk short distances than drive round the city.
2 - Increase size of bypass to allow flow of traffic this will reduce conjestiom within the city centre.
3 - Incentives for using park and ride reduced bus fares, multi person tickets.
If public transport was improved and had a realistic price people would be more inclined to use the facilities. Streets could be be closed to traffic and replaced with pedestrian / bus or possibly tram zones.
Karen Reeves - 29 Oct, 2010
1. Allow scooters and motorbikes to use bus lanes
2. Get rid of al the huge busses and bring in small busses than run along one route and can stop and pick up from anywhere at a fixed fee. IE pedestrians can flag them down when they want; like they do in Turkey where its a fantastic system
3. Instead of pandering to the cycling minority and just getting their views why not have a car owners forum to discuss their ideas with the members. The Authority may get a more balanced view of the issues
4. Use back alleys and parks as cycle routes...EG why cannot people cycle through parts of Museum gardens?or indeed Homestead Park which could have got rid of the necessity to alter Clifton junction at such cost both financial and traffic flow wise.
John Reeves - 29 Oct, 2010
Given its anticipated we will spend 'on average' £1.3 million pa to improve yorks cycling why not buy 26,000 bicycles [£50 each] and give them to yorkies who pass a proficiency test and allow them to be left securely at the park and rides so we could drive there and then cycle in
We could do this each year which would encourage far more people onto bicycles than now and stop cycle crime as there would be no local market.
Alternatively complete the James st link road which is affordable and will complete an important part of Yorks car and cycle routes which is long long overdue.
Finally , get rid of the bendy buses and replace with a system of ski type lifts [the egg type]running from all the park and rides into the city centre above the cycle tracks, along the riverside etc which will provide a reliable safe tested means of moving people not using the roads at all and will be an attraction in its own right. So it will be used as people will want to use it not be forced onto it. Radical but more than achievable if there is a real will. Each'egg' could be sponsored.
Michael D'Cruze - 29 Oct, 2010
Ban all traffic from entering the city walls (or equivalent where the walls don't exist) with the exception of buses, emergency vehicles, and taxis.
This would stimulate the use of the Park&Ride services which would keep most cars that normally reside outside of York's outer ring road, outside York altogether.
M C Usherwood - 29 Oct, 2010
1-P& R charge should be per car and not per person This would encourage car sharing
2-Sell bus tickets at the main stops i.eExhibition Square this would enable the bus to load much quicker
3-Expand P & R sites along with with 1
Matt - 29 Oct, 2010
Reduce bus fares and increase routes! I live in Osbaldwick and need to go into university regularly but the number 6 bus seems allergic to campus now, just stopping short at B&Q and turning around again, but even if I was to take it, then it would be ridiculously expensive anyway.
The minimum fare is too high, and as the distance is too far to walk (about 50 minutes, not a great distance when going in for a one hour lecture) which forces me into my car, which I really don't like doing.
Steven Rudd - 28 Oct, 2010
every where inside the inner ring road should be made residents parking this would make people not from york use the park and ride or pay for the use of proper car parks creating revenue for the council to pay for the park and ride to go 24 hours also there should be a charge for all work parking spaces
M Walker - 28 Oct, 2010
get rid of the guardianistas in the traffic planning department
Andy Thrall - 28 Oct, 2010
1.No tourist coaches inside boundry.
All must use designated park and ride facility.
2.Deliveries to shops,businesses etc only at designated times.
3.Stricter management of un lawful parking.eg courier vans,repair vehicles.
4.Too many hold ups caused by road repairs taking too long,i.e more weekend and evening working to reduce repair time,e.g The Boroughbridge Road gas Main debacle.
5.Dualing the carriage way will not sort out the Outer Ring Road.Its the exits at key roundabouts that need addressing at Haxby Road,Wigginton Road,Boroughbridge Road,Fulford Road.
6.Reduce bus fares,increase no.of buses.Make the bus Co's also run the non profitable routesi.e provide a service!
7.Open trainstation at Haxby including a stop at the Hospital.
8.Return WaterLane Juction to what it was!
Please note we are a 2 car household but I cycle from home to Elvington everyday to work and my wife cycles to the Hospital everyday to work.
M McGovern - 28 Oct, 2010
Allow motorcyles in bus lanes - this has worked in Hull for years and although it was in Yorks Local Transport Plan as a box-ticking exercise, never saw the light of day.
Stop pandering to cyclists by creating stupid schemes - Water Lane!
Listen to road users when they say schemes won't work - Hopgrove Roundabout and the missing flyover.
Finally, repaint all the box junctions and fine the idiots who block them up - Walmgate, St Leonard's Place, etc, etc.
Andy D'Agorne - 28 Oct, 2010
There is no one simple solution, but a fundamental one is convincing the people of York that we cannot make enough roadspace for everyone to freely drive without delay at all times of day.
Park and ride should offer a 'group ticket' as they do in some cities to encourage car sharing (more space in overfull car parks) driving to the park and ride rather than into central car parks or workplaces. City centre stores could offer a 'refund' on park and ride to encourage people to leave their car out of the centre (thus increasing space for other shoppers!) yet to come into the centre rather than use out of town stores.
All workplaces and schools need to offer incentives to cycle or give up parking spaces - after all, fewer cars in the car park could allow space to expand or have recreational space and will ease congestion for deliveries to and from the workplace. Pool cars and workplace nurseries in bigger organisations can help. A Green Workplace Travel club to allow partnership working on travel plan ideas would also help.
Expanding the key cycle routes with more covered cycle parking in the city centre would help too.
Free cycle training in all schools (to level 3 which includes riding on main roads) would help to make sure all young people learn how to safely use the road, not the footpath.
All students applying to study in York should be advised strongly not to bring a car and given discounts on bus fares, buying a bike etc. New housing developments should include a free bike and years bus travel pass so that occupants get into the habit of green travel from the outset.
The idea of making the inner ring road into a one way system - clockwise along Foss Islands Rd Nunnery Lane , Lendal bridge, Gillygate, Lord Mayors Walk etc (freeing up some of the roadspace for decent walking and cycling facilities and even a park) needs to be investigated seriously looked as an idea.
Huw Jenkins - 28 Oct, 2010
One of the major causes of congestion through the city is that the outer ring road does not work. Why doesn't it work? Because it is not dual carriage way all the way round making it an incomplete ring road.If this was all dual carriage-way traffic would flow more freely and encourage people to use this rather than cut through the city. Why won't anything be done about this? Because it is too expensive for the local council and the national government is not interested in providing a proper solution for a relatively small city.
As for piority bus lanes? Has anyone seen the new priority bus lanes on the A19 Fulford Road, each one of them is barely longer than a bus, how can this help? What is needed in order for buses to work are smaller buses that can actually pull into bus stops that will then allow other traffic to pass.
Stephen Harwood - 28 Oct, 2010
a complete overall of bus services is required, particularly park and ride, there is simply too many buses going through the centre of york mostly with very few passengers. do the park and ride services need to be so frequent oustide peak hours, i think not, as i see it is just a money spinner for first.It is amazing how many new buses are on p & r compared to local services. and how about getting the traffic lights working together with some sort of flow, as they are now they make traffic flow a lot worse than needs be, the new lights at queen st junction are an example they are not shifting traffic equally through the junction. the council has to take most of the blame for the congestion as they dont seem to figure traffic flow in their policies, ie clifton green, and the debacle of york station been the most prominent
M McGovern - 28 Oct, 2010
Get rid of the FTRs.No more park & rides.
Allow motorcyles in bus lanes - this has worked in Hull for years and although it was in Yorks Local Transport Plan as a box-ticking exercise, never saw the light of day.
Stop pandering to cyclists by creating stupid schemes - Water Lane!
Listen to road users when they say schemes won't work - Hopgrove Roundabout and the missing flyover.
Finally, repaint all the box junctions and fine the idiots who block them up - Walmgate, St Leonard's Place, etc, etc.
Kyrie from Tadcaster - 28 Oct, 2010
This would certainly help my travels to/from work:A1237 at Knapton... Open up the old road that links A1237 with A59 to ease the congestion on A59 roundabout. Turn the left lane at roundabout for AHEAD traffic and right hand lane for RIGHT TURN (into York). COST: A bit of white paint and labour to remove a gate:
Re-open the link road at Millfield roundabout that leads to Boroughbridge Road/Beckfield Lane. The congestion at A59 roundabout at 5pm is largely due to motorists wanting to turn left into York. Re-open the link road and hey presto... Congestion eased considerably. COST: A signpost
Paul Hepworth - 28 Oct, 2010
The Press support for additional Park & Ride is laudable, as is the cross party political support that you have elicited. However P&R buses and termini are only part of the solution.This must be accompanied by reallocating road space to give priority to public transport (and cyclists) and by the continue fitment of automatic vehicle identification to the public transport fleet (Cllr Reid's Wedding Car technology!).
Public opposition by some to bus priority measures like Fulford Road's, must be firmly rebutted & likemeasures must be extended to all main corridors eg A59 and A19 north.
Some commentators have suggested that the P&R fare structure is not logical or attractive so maybe some renegotiation is needed with First.
Unneccessary short distance car commuting (57% of peak total) must be discouraged. Car sharing and short term city centre car hire (City car club) is worthy of equal encouragement. York's past Local Transport Plans have accorded with Govt. criteria and so received large grants to spend on encouraging alternative travel choices. Our next LTP beginning in 2011 is open for consultation.
Details at york.gov.uk/transport/ltp/ltp3/ Its stated aims are as follows.
1. Provide quality alternatives to the motor car
2.Provide strategic transport links within and to and from York
3.Implement behavioural change by encouraging people to be less reliant on cars
4.Tackle transport emissions and pollution
improve the public realm by making the city a more attractive place
If we ignore all this, we will bestow gridlock on the next generation.
Tom Heppleston - 28 Oct, 2010
The problems with York are too many buses, too many taxis and too much traffic in general at Peak times all trying to go through the key arteries to the City centre.I would cure this by removing from the city centre old, poorly maintained and noisy tour buses and replace with eco friendly Cycle Tours. (yorks not exactly big is it to warrant double deckers criss crossing the city)
Sell off the 'Bendy Buses'
Reduce the amount of bus stops to 4 key pick up points, one serving the each of the north east south and west districts of York. No through buses. (for the station then have a dedicated station service 1 an hour for pre paid train tickets - get East Coast to sponsor this)
For non York Tax paying residents introduce congestion charging
encourage cyclists by widening cycle paths
Park and Rides to be reduced in cost (off set by congestion charges for non york residents)
Reduce day time taxi permits (as they all complain of not enough jobs)
Increase night time taxi licenses
Introduce cycle taxi's
Properly cofigure lights to allow flow of traffic not prevent it as it does currently on Blossom Street, Fulford Road, Gillygate
Close Bootham at the corner of the Bootham tavern and turn the car park into a drop off point only
Lastly invest in the York ring road north bound to make into too lanes
Richard Sharp - 28 Oct, 2010
A change in approch is required, there needs to be a defined focus on the benefits of alternative transport such as mopeds and motorbikes (which will also drive down pollution as they are more economical, cheaper to run and do less damage to the road - so the money saving possibilities are great for both the city and the public) as well as the push towards cycling. If people choose to use bike (of all kinds) instead of cars congestion would fall dramatically. This would also improve the bus/delivery services as they would not be stuck in the traffic.On the topic of buses there needs to be a rethink on the type of buses used and the location of stops, too often have I seen buses as a major cause of congestion due to poor bus types and ill placed bus stops.
York has numerous issues with traffic however most people want the freedom of driving into the centre, offer then an alternative to this (such as motorbikes/mopeds) and the city will reap the rewards, also consider more central options for parking of such vehicles as they current options are poor compared to most citys.