Issued by City of York Council
Residents and businesses are being encouraged to consider their travel options ahead of an initial six-month trial that will see Lendal Bridge open only to pedestrians, cyclists, buses, taxis, and emergency vehicles during daytime hours (10:30am-5pm).
With the trial due to start in a month’s time, from 27 August, every household in York will receive a leaflet from City of York Council from next week informing them about the details of the trial, the reasons for it, and helping them understand how it might impact their future journeys.
The leaflets will also be available to pick-up from key destinations in the city, such as York Explore library and the hospital.
A number of other support initiatives will provide further advice and information ahead of the trial, including drop-in consultation events taking place on Parliament Street in the city centre on August 7-8, September 11-12 and October 5 in a public exhibition unit (opposite Marks & Spencer).
The i-Travel website will advise on journey planning and alternative modes of transport. This advice will also be available in person from the iTravel team in Parliament Street on Saturday 10 and Saturday 17 August.
City centre businesses are to be invited to one of two Business Briefings taking place at City of York Council’s West Offices on 14 August.
The traffic trial aims to create a more attractive and thriving city centre, and test how the transport network will operate, whilst unclogging the corridor from the rail station to the shops and cultural attractions.
It is also looking to complement other public space initiatives already underway in York, such as the redevelopment of Exhibition Square and the Minster piazza.
Cars, lorries and motorbike access on Lendal Bridge will be restricted inline with the existing footstreet hours between 10.30am to 5pm, seven days a week, which were extended throughout the city centre as part of an experiment to improve access within the city’s walls.
Buses, cyclists, pedestrians, taxis and emergency vehicles will continue to have full access over Lendal Bridge at all times.
Ruth Stephenson, Head of Sustainable Transport Service, said: “The consultations and related information form an important part of our commitment to both informing and listening to residents and businesses as we continue to make city centre improvements and trial new measures to tackle traffic in the city centre.
“We are now beginning a comprehensive period of consultation throughout the trial and we encourage everyone to feed back their views to inform our future decisions.”
The trial is being supported by the Government’s Better Bus Area Fund (BBAF), in addition to contributions from the council’s capital programme.
More information, including FAQs and a video showing the vision for York’s future is available on the council website.
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