TRANSPORT campaigners have warned York risks losing some of the hundreds of thousands of pounds of government funding it has been given to improve cycling routes if the council doesn’t start delivering on the schemes.

One leading campaigner and transport expert, the York Civic Trust’s Prof Tony May, told a council meeting on Tuesday that there had been ‘a waste of resources and a failure of leadership’ as council officers fought amongst themselves over how government guidelines should be interpreted.

As reported last week, the council aims to spend £3.3 million on ten road schemes that would make it easier and safer for cyclists and pedestrians to get around. The schemes include:

  • One-way system in Navigation Road
  • A segregated cycle route on the A1237 ring road between Great North Way and the A19 to improve safety
  • cycle routes on Tadcaster Road
  • improvements to cycle routes on the Shipton Road between the Rawcliffe Park&Ride and Bootham Bar
  • An off-road cycle route between Wheldrake and Heslington
  • A city centre north-south cycle route running from Petergate to Walmgate
  • Cycle lanes on Acomb Road/ York Road
  • Campaigns to improve behaviour on bridges, including awareness of avoiding close passing cyclists

The schemes will be partly paid for by £800,000 of government ‘active travel’ funding, with match-funding from the council, and further government funding through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

York Press:

Cyclists in High Petergate, which will form part of a 'north-south' city centre cycle route

But campaigners told a council executive decision meeting on Tuesday that delays and overruns meant that much of the government’s ‘active travel’ funding allocated for the schemes could be at risk.

Prof May, the chair of York Civic Trust’s transport advisory group, said: “Fifteen months ago we worked with the council to support its bid for active travel fund moneys, and were delighted it secured over £800k to support 11 cycling schemes. That funding was provided with clear requirements that it be spent within a tight timeframe.

“Yet of these (schemes) two have been implemented and withdrawn; one, Coppergate, has been implemented and retained, but is deficient; only one is to be implemented in this financial year; and the other seven are only proposed for completion in 2022/23, a full two years after funding was provided.”

York Press:

Prof Tony May

Prof May said fully developed plans had been in place for cycle improvements on the A19 at Clifton and Bootham a year ago. “Yet a preliminary design is now only promised for November this year, and completion for January 2023, 30 months after that site visit. Much of the time has been spent with officers disagreeing on the interpretation of government guidance, and further funds being spent on consultancy advice. This is a waste of resources and a failure of leadership.”

Speaking to The Press, Kate Ravilious of York Cycle Campaign said: “There is zero analysis of the risk of the active travel funding being withdrawn if schemes are not completed within the specified timeframe.”

The council insists it has been giving the Department for Transport regular updates, and that there has been ‘no feedback’ to suggest the DfT is unhappy with the council’s schedule.

York Press:

Cllr Andy D'Agorne

Andy D’Agorne, the council’s executive member for transport, said the authority was making ‘adequate progress’ on the schemes, but was trying to speed things up.

“I have made clear that officers should now be consulting directly with ward councillors representing the wards affected to help ensure there is clear understanding of the design challenges,” he said.

Tony Clarke, the council’s head of transport, said the authority was recruiting extra staff to help deliver the schemes. “We have indicated to the DfT that some schemes will not be delivered until 2022/23, as we manage capacity,” he said.