A concerted campaign by traders to ban cars from a York street looks set to be rejected by City of York Council.
The ‘Free Fossgate’ crusade was launched in August, led by the landlord of the Blue Bell John Pybus.
It gained support from many of the businesses on the street. An online petition calling on the council to pedestrianise Fossgate gained more than 1,700 signatures.
John told YorkMix that were three reasons for banning cars from the street
“First of all, we want improved access for York residents and the visitors to the city, and especially improved access to our disabled residents.
“We also want cleaner air. And the third is cafe culture.”
But a council officer’s report will ask the executive member for economy and transport next month to leave Fossgate as it is.
The report says there has been a “significant amount of analysis and consultation previously undertaken on this issue” and “there is no consensus amongst users of the street” for pedestrianisation.
‘Really disappointed’
It goes on: “If further permanent access restrictions were implemented in the street, this would not enable more pavement cafés to be licensed as it would not be possible to place tables and chairs in the carriageway.”
The report says the council “cannot support the removal of the kerb delineation between the footways and the carriageway as this would transform Fossgate into a level surface shared space”.
However, Fossgate could still be be car-free “for specific events” once organisers “have all the required permissions in place, including the support of the Security Advisory Group, and that they are able to meet the events’ costs”.
John Pybus reacted with dismay to the council’s response.
“The petition had three aims – cleaner air, improved disability access and the provision of outdoor cafe licences,” he told YorkMix
“It’s disappointing to hear that the officers of York council have dismissed these aims without holding a consultation first.”
The council has not undertaken a new consultation with businesses as it said there had been a significant number of previous consultations.
Guildhall councillors Rachel Melly and Tony Clarke received the petition in November.
Cllr Melly told YorkMix at the time: “I’m very happy to support the local businesses and local residents to try and find new, better arrangements for traffic on the street that works better for everyone.”
She added that the idea of pedestrianising Fossgate fitted with the council’s wider transport strategy, including to reduce car journeys by 20%.
Cllr Clarke said they would “take the idea forward”. He added that the council had to take everyone’s needs into account, including those of Fossgate residents and disabled people.
John said the campaign to pedestrianise Fossgate had been going since 1985. And he was going to call his fellow campaigners for a meeting on the next steps.
“We’ll meet up and have a chat about what to do next,” he said.
“No decision has actually been made by our elected officials, so we live in hope that they’ll hear us out – there is a provision for special market days in the report, so maybe we could work with the council to hold regular events on the street?”
