Fears that city road will have a ‘disastrous impact’
PLANS FOR an access road to unlock the flagship York Central site have come under fire from the city’s Green Party, which says the proposals will have a “disastrous negative impact on traffic levels, congestion and air pollution”.
The party, which has been part of a ruling coalition on City of York Council with the Liberal Democrats since last summer, says the plans submitted last month will “result in a car-dominated development”.
The York Central scheme is seen as vital to the region’s economy, bringing in thousands of jobs and much-needed homes to tackle the city’s affordable housing crisis. Proposals for the 110-acre site would result in 6,500 jobs and 2,500 homes created.
The York Central Partnership, which includes Network Rail, Homes England and the city council, submitted a planning application last month for the first phase of infrastructure works to unlock the site and allow development to start. It detailed proposals for roads, cycleways and footpaths and a new bridge across the East Coast Mainline.
The York Green Party has formally objected to the planning application and is calling for key changes to be made, including a limit on general traffic through the site. They have suggested the use of a bus gate and for the whole site to be declared an ultra low emission zone.
Party chair Tom Franklin said: “The applicant’s own modelling shows that the proposals as they stand, will result in a car-dominated development with the new park and square blighted at peak times by long lines of queuing traffic.
“This will worsen gridlock across the city’s transport network. This is set to be a missed opportunity, which left unchanged will result in a 20th century rather than a 21st century development.
He added: “In order to make York Central the low carbon development it claims to be, general traffic through the site has to be effectively restricted, particularly at peak times.”
A spokesman for the York Central Partnership said: “We are confident that our traffic plans will meet the current and future needs of the York Central development and the wider city.”