During the next couple of months contractors Laing O' Rourke will be digging up roads around Bishopthorpe to carry out major works on the water supply. Both the contractors and Yorkshire Water are anxious to ensure that these excavations are as trouble free as possible.

The works are as follows:-

New main water pipes to be installed in Bridge Road, Myrtle Avenue, and Coda Avenue, this will also mean new  connections to each house as far as Yorkshire Water's stop tap (usually in the pavement or just inside the boundary of the property). If either of the roads are suitable then the new main will be installed by drilling under the road and installing the water main, however if this is not possible due  to other underground services then a trench will have to be excavated in which to lay the new pipe.

The main water pipes in Sim Balk Lane, Church Lane, Bishopthorpe Road, Chantry Lane, Main Street, Croft Court, School Lane, Appleton Road, Copmanthorpe Lane, The Coppice, Ferry Lane, Acaster Lane, Montague Road and all cul de sacs, Ramsey Avenue and all cul de sacs, Lamplugh Cresc. Garbett Way, Keble Park North, Keble Drive, Keble Park Cresc. Keble Park South and all cul de sacs, will be cleaned and re-lined. This work entails excavations being dug at intervals along the highway and equipment inserted into the water main which cleans and then re-lines the water pipe.

I understand that a  contractor's representative has delivered or will be delivering contact details etc.  to all affected properties.

I have also agreed to act as a contact should anyone feel that they would prefer  I should act on their behalf. My Tel. No. is 704829, mobile 07973898402

My Sunday morning lawn mowing was shattered with a phone call that a hole had appeared in Mill Lane, Acaster Malbis, OK said I, "I will pop down  later in the afternoon to investigate, prior to contacting the Council's Highways Department in the morning" (i.e. Monday morning). This was shortly followed by a further phone call to say that the front wheel of a new car had sunk through the footpath and was well and truly stuck!!

I abandoned the lawn mower and hurried down to the scene. The problem had been caused by faulty re-instatement following a new sewer connection  in Mill Lane and the pavement collapsed under the weight of the car. There was also further road collapse above the point where the new sewer joint connected to the main sewer. Quite understandably feelings were running very high not only by the car owner but other residents in the vicinity who had had to put up with a whole range of issues during the construction of a new house being built in Tyn Garth,  it was the new sewer to this property that was the cause of the problem. The car was recovered with advice from the AA and it would appear that the car did not suffer any ill effects. York Council's emergency highways team attended quite quickly, coned off the hole in the road and covered the hole in the pavement. Whilst the issue was and still is a very serious matter it did add a bit of excitement to many people in Acaster Malbis on what no doubt was a quiet Sunday Morning and will probably be a talking point in the village for some time. Repairs have now been put in hand so let us hope there will not be a repeat performance!!

Following heavy rainfall (and we have had more than our fair share of that of late) a large pool of standing water builds up at the junction of Acaster Lane and Main Street, why this happens is to be the purpose of investigation to be undertaken sometime this year. Apparently there are a number of locations where this problem arises in the City and an amount of money has been put aside for such investigations.

I have recently received a number of complaints about the overhanging of vegetation on to pavements and footpaths, having walked the footpaths the complaints are well founded. Such overhanging vegetation usually emanates from someone's garden, be it a hedge or dense vegetation it is garden owner's responsibility to cut it back. Please if your hedge or other vegetation is overhanging a footpath or a pavement please cut it back. In the meantime I am pressing to get our local street scene officer to have a walk around these problem areas with the hope that some general tidying up may be undertaken.

Next Thursday the first stage of the planning application for the development of the Terry's Site will be put in front of the Planning Committee. As a member of that committee I shall express my concerns on the traffic impact that such development will no doubt have on Bishopthorpe; it is my opinion that Bishopthorpe can only be protected from serious traffic congestion  by the construction of a link road between Sim Balk Lane and Bishopthorpe Road. This of course would mean the possible development of two fields currently in the Green Belt; this is the only way  such a relief road could be funded.

Whatever the outcome of the Planning Committee I shall continue to press for such a relief road.

One of the issues that caused some debate related to the fencing off of the footpath through the area around the ruins of St Andrew's Church in Chantry Lane. The fence was erected to protect the site from further vandalism which had caused damage to the tune of £5000; the fence was a small price to pay for the protection of our village heritage. The fence has now been removed in parts and access by way of the footpath has been restored. Hopefully funding can be found to erect a permanent fence around the site which whilst protecting the site will also allow the normal access on the footpath. The trustees are to be commended for their efforts and deserve the support of all the residents of the village. If you see any unacceptable behavior or vandalism please contact the Police we must not let a mindless group of people destroy our heritage.

Following my representations to the Highways Department it is being proposed that Sim Balk Lane from the traffic lights to the village boundary will be a "Freeway" on the left hand side. This means that there will be no parking on the road or the grass verge. My concern is as to where the vehicles currently parking in the lane will then park, to help overcome this problem I am making a suggestion that the piece of land opposite the changing rooms might be considered for an overflow car park serving both the college and the people attending the sports fields and changing rooms. I assume that this site was the original line of Sim Balk Lane before the A64 by-pass was built. This will take some time to be considered by the Council but I hope that (I always live in hope) in the fullness of time this may be the solution to the car parking problems. Meanwhile if you see a build up of parking in Bishopthorpe following the introduction of the Freeway please let me know by calling 01904 704829