Station access scheme would cost £400,000

City of York Council wants to team up with Network Rail and GNER to provide a 21st century gateway for the city.

Motorists, taxi firms, bus drivers, pedestrians and cyclists would benefit from the six-month scheme to transform the station frontage and improve access and safety.

At a meeting of the council's city centre planning and transport sub committee, on March 6, councillors will be asked to consider granting the legal powers to enable the first stage of the work to get under way.

The proposed improvements include:

A new pelican crossing at the Queen Street bridge end of the station

New cycle lanes on both sides of Station Road and a cycle lane to enable users to turn right into the station more safely

High-level kerbs to make access to buses easier and a formal waiting area with more footway space

Significant improvement for access to taxis and replacement of the central taxi rank in Station Road with a new sheltered taxi rank and a pick-up point at the station portico.

The scheme is part of the council's five-year, £50 million Local Transport Plan and will also involve cosmetic improvements to the station frontage.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, the council's executive member for transport, said: "The council, GNER and Network Rail are determined to improve facilities and access in this area.

"With some 720,000 tourists alone travelling in and out of the station it is one of the city's most important gateways - one of the shop windows of York."

Peter Evely, the council's head of highway regulation and station frontage project manager, said: "The way the space in front of the station is used is very poor and for a lot of people causes very real safety and practical problems.

"For a whole range of different reasons there is a consensus that changes have to be made. The scheme significantly improves safety, ease of access to and from the station, the bus stands and taxis."

Updated: 14:13 Thursday, February 27, 2003