Plans to pedestrianise well-loved city street dismissed as ‘half a job’

CALLS HAVE been made to overhaul plans to pedestrianise one of York’s best-loved streets amid accusations the current proposals are too conservative.

York Council has unveiled a scheme to spend £500,000 on Fossgate in the city centre, with pavements widened, benches and bike stands installed, and improved pedestrian crossings.

But Green Party councillors have asked the authority to look again at the proposed upgrade, saying the current project fails to “achieve a pedestrianised environment” or link the street to the rest of the city centre.

Speaking at a council meeting, Coun Denise Craghill claimed the plans are “timid, half-hearted and half a job”.

Sarah Lakin, of the Fossgate Association, said: “It’s very much our wish to see Fossgate pedestrianised. We do support the current proposals, but it still looks pretty much like a standard street.”

A report has stated construction work is due to take place on the improvements in February and March next year, and council officers raised concerns over funding if the project does not goahead as planned.

At the meeting, council officers said pedestrianising Fossgate at this stage could risk a public inquiry as there has not been a consultation on the matter.

They added that it would be better to look at pedestrianising the street after the work is completed.

Councillors voted for a recommendation that the executive member for transport, Coun Peter Dew, consider pedestrianising Fossgate as soon as possible when a decision is due to be made on Thursday next week.