Recently reported in the Link is that the Parish Council is urging York City Council to widen Church Lane as a means of lessening the potential traffic impact on Bishopthorpe following the development of the Terry's Site. I thought it would be helpful if people were to be aware of my views on this proposal which do not accord with the views of the Parish Council, and it is highly unlikely that I could support this proposal, my reasons as follows:-
- Widening Church Lane would in my opinion cause an unacceptable level of disruption to residents of Church Lane and indeed Sim Balk Lane by the increased level of vehicle activity that such widening would attract.
- Widening the carriageway would surely increase the speed of traffic along Church Lane with all the consequences that would follow, better that any increase in traffic be kept at a low speed rather than an increased speed which widening would surely encourage.
- I have major concerns regarding the Bishopthorpe Road junction; I understand the Parish Council are suggesting the installation of a mini roundabout which would necessitate major road works, a realignment of the junction and land take to allow for these works.
Whilst my wish for a village By-Pass has for the time being been rejected by the City Council I shall at every opportunity press for this road to be built, this is the only serious option. The loss of a part of our Green Belt alongside the A64 is a small price to pay for ensuring that not only Church Lane, Sim Balk Lane and indeed the whole village will not suffer traffic chaos that will surely follow this major development.
I make no apology for my views; my only concern is to protect your village and my village, I hope that in the fullness of time common sense will prevail.
Before giving an explanation of the proposals to widen Church Lane I would like to state that the Parish Council is fully supportive of the development of Terry's but only if the traffic issues are suitably managed.
City of York and the Parish Council are in agreement that Tadcaster Road, Knavesmire Road and Campleshon Road should be the preferred route to get traffic to Terry's BUT City of York are very vague as to how they will achieve this.
They cannot force people to use Tadcaster Road but hopefully they have ideas that will actively encourage people to use it without blocking off Bishopthorpe altogether. We need passing traffic from the races etc. to ensure we maintain the facilities in the village to the standard we have at the moment. I believe it would be very difficult to maintain three pubs, one club and associated shops without the financial input from passing traffic for the races etc.
City of York still maintain that their traffic surveys do not indicate a vast increase due to the development of Terry's over the amount of traffic that used Sim Balk Lane, Church Lane and Bishopthorpe Road when Terry's was in full swing as a chocolate factory. C of Y also maintain that because of this situation they don't really have to do anything about the traffic associated with the Terry's development and this detracts somewhat from their suggestion that they will encourage traffic to use the Tadcaster Road route!
They don't appear to accept the argument that most of the previous traffic arrived from York and was by bicycle and working shifts whereas we envisage most traffic in the future will be off the A64 by car and at peak rush hours i.e. 8-9am 5-6pm. Currently we have to accept that C of Y will try to encourage traffic along Tadcaster Road but if it does not work we may get no help.
So I think we must accept that there will be still some traffic, potentially more traffic, using Sim Balk Lane, Church Lane and Bishopthorpe Road to get to Terry's or into York as now.
My idea is to widen Church Lane from the junction with Sim Balk Lane to the Church Car Park. This would enable of specified parking lane to be built next to the houses on Church Lane. Where Church Lane cannot be widened we would introduce double yellow lines to enable two lanes of free flowing traffic. Traffic speed would be controlled by introducing traffic calming methods further along the lane. To improve both junctions at either end of Church Lane I would introduce mini roundabouts - there is potential space at the junction with Sim Balk Lane and C of Y could purchase a piece of land off the Archbishop to improve the junction with Bishopthorpe Road.
I am not an engineer and am open to any other suggestion put forward but I do believe we have to do something before the development starts or we could end up with grid-lock - but there again if Bishopthorpe is grid-locked cars will use Tadcaster Road.........until it's not grid-locked and then cars will use Bishopthorpe again ...........we will go round in circles!
Stewart Harrison – Chairman, Bishopthorpe Parish Council
Forget Church Lane....
Bishopthorpe Road from the Palace Gates to the Crem is appauling! The path is narrow; it slopes and is a danger to walkers, runners and cyclists! If you create a faster flow of traffic down Church Lane, it will only get more dangerous here! Has anybody thought about this?????
We need this development at the former Terry's both for Bishopthorpe and York. it will bring jobs...money...prosperity... at a time when we need it most!
We need the Parish Council to be fully supportive of this scheme without any 'but only if's'
As I have said on any number of occassions a new link road between Bishopthorpe Road and Sim Balk Lane is the only safe answer to the problem. I am sure the Terry's Site will be developed and traffic problems will become a serious matter for the village and also Tadcaster Road. Common sense surely must evetually prevail and the link road must ultimately be built.
Oh dear... What a shame neither of you could take the time and effort to attend the Parish Council Annual Parish Meeting last Wednesday! This issue was discussed at length and the Parish Council explained the ideas we have put to City of York to overcome the problem of Bishopthorpe Road from the Church to the Crem.
Stewart Harrison - Chairman, Bishopthorpe Parish Council
ps I have put my report on the main News Page
Stuart....
Then I might have to praise the Parish Council again!!
As previously said....We need the Parish Council to be fully supportive of this scheme without any 'but only if's'
However, let's ensure that politics do not get in the way of personality. Both you and John are wonderful people...and do an incredible amount of work for Bishopthorpe.
Phil