Wyke College extension works

John Fareham and John Abbott are getting close to a solution for Loveridge Avenue traffic problems. There are two separate problems to resolve. The first is devising a safe basis on which motorists and pedestrians can both use the tenfoot access at the high-numbered end. The other is to ease the pressure on parking space in that Loveridge Avenue is not really wide enough to accommodate a parked car on each side with room for cars, let alone the emergency services who have their own views on this issue, to pass easily through. We have been meeting with officers to work out a safety scheme for the tenfoot which is agreed and we are also working on costings for other proposals so that, wherever possible, motor vehicles can be parked on the frontage instead of on the carriageway.

Loveridge Avenue traffic

John Fareham and John Abbott are getting close to a solution for Loveridge Avenue traffic problems. There are two separate problems to resolve. The first is devising a safe basis on which motorists and pedestrians can both use the tenfoot access at the high-numbered end. The other is to ease the pressure on parking space in that Loveridge Avenue is not really wide enough to accommodate a parked car on each side with room for cars, let alone the emergency services who have their own views on this issue, to pass easily through. We have been meeting with officers to work out a safety scheme for the tenfoot which is agreed and we are also working on costings for other proposals so that, wherever possible, motor vehicles can be parked on the frontage instead of on the carriageway.

Newland Avenue road closure

John Fareham and John Abbott report that Newland Avenue will be closed to traffic for railway bridge repairs from 8 pm on Monday 28th October until 6 am on the 29th. The Council have obtained an order to divert traffic in order that both the Network Rail people doing the repairs and local residents who might otherwise have driven under the bridge may do what they’re doing or go where they’re going in safety. Technically the order could run for up to eighteen months or until the work is finished, whichever is sooner, but the work is expected to take only the one night. We pass this information on so that local residents who normally travel via Newland Avenue at these times of day can be aware of the diversion and make such other arrangements as they consider necessary.

Cottingham Road bus service details

John Fareham and John Abbott have speeded up the provision of timetable details for the revised East Yorkshire bus services on Cottingham Road. As of 29th September EYMS stopped running the 215 and 315 services and expanded the 103 bus to be a full-day service to Cottingham via the Avenues, Newland Avenue and Cottingham Road. We thought that this major expansion of bus provision here – this is a considerable increase in Cottingham Road bus provision, insofar as there are now six buses an hour to town via Newland Avenue instead of just two as well as other services – should be accompanied by the availability of full timetable details, not just those provided by EYMS in print and online but those given on the electronic signage at the Interchange and in the lists of bus times provided at bus stops. These details were not all forthcoming so we contacted the officers and asked for the Interchange and bus stop details to be updated. These have now been attended to and you can now consult lists of bus times at your local bus stop (where these were already provided) or see which bay the 103 leaves from at the Interchange.

Cropton Park car parking

John Fareham and John Abbott have taken initial steps to address the overflow parking problems arising from the use of the Cropton Park playing fields for sporting activities. Local residents have been complaining that when parents bring their children to learn to play rugby, the onsite parking capacity is insufficient to meet the demand. John and I have therefore been working to ensure more parking spaces are available by de-cluttering the car park of wood chippings. This will create two more parking spaces and work will continue to identify who owns the containers on the park and where they can be taken to in order to create several more parking spaces. There is of course a finite limit to the capacity of any car park but we are determined to ensure that as much of this one as possible is actually used for parking cars.

Barrington Avenue barriers

John Fareham and John Abbott have secured the removal of barriers left on Barrington Avenue since work was carried out there some months ago. We received complaints from local residents that although the footpath around the grass square had been replaced as far back as May, two yellow barriers had yet to be taken away after the work was completed. We therefore got on to the officers and pointed out that, if they could take election posters down promptly, it ought not to be impractical to send a van round, even one that was just passing, and remove the barriers. They agreed to move the barriers – they did so on October 3rd – and they also agreed to apologise in writing to at least one local resident.

YPI floodlights enforcement

John Fareham and John Abbott have secured an undertaking from the officers of enforcement action against the YPI for leaving their floodlights on far too late. Having received complaints from local residents that floodlights were being left on as late as 9.35 or even 11 p.m. we referred the matter to the officers, stating that in our view the information we had received from local residents – dates, times, the lot - spoke for itself. They replied to say they would write to the YPI’s Trustees reminding them that an enforcement notice would be issued in response to breaches of the planning conditions. It goes without saying that we will continue to take note of the information passed on to us by any concerned residents and forward it to the officers for action. It is not rocket science to ensure these lights are switched off at the end of sporting activities and we intend to ensure that the YPI abide by the planning conditions set when they got permission for floodlights.

Waste bin emptying

John Fareham and John Abbott have secured the emptying of overflowing waste bins at the Bricknell Avenue/Hotham Road North shops. Diversion of staff to other duties – the crew were diverted to Cottingham Road because of the new surge of students – caused a breakdown in the normal emptying cycle whereby the bins are emptied three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. We now understand that the bins have been emptied and will look at the possibility of increasing their capacity to cope with the demand partly created by students from Kelvin and Wyke. It goes without saying of course that if the bin-emptying cycle breaks down again we will not hesitate to take the matter up.

Knapton Avenue resurfacing

John Fareham and John Abbott have secured the resurfacing of Knapton Avenue pavements. Whilst we have yet to hear back from the officers that the contract has been awarded or to whom, the decision has nevertheless been taken to do the work and the intention is that it be completed by November. The technique to be used is “slurry sealing” which, whilst not as long lasting as tarmac, nevertheless offers a quick and affordable approach to a medium-term pavement repair. We will of course let local residents know as soon as we have an exact date for the commencement of the work.

Bricknell Avenue cycle lanes

John Fareham and John Abbott report that cycle lane markings on Bricknell Avenue have now been revised to address concerns regarding the cycle lanes being too close to parked cars. We passed on the officers local residents’ concerns to that there was insufficient room in the cycle lane to allow for car doors being opened as cyclists passed by. As our photograph shows, the original lines have been deleted and new ones painted which we hope will allow sufficient extra room for cyclists to pass by in safety. Given that Bricknell Avenue is a busy road at times, clearly such issues as this require prompt attention; we do of course stand ready to address any further matters which may arise affecting the safety of cyclists, pedestrians, bus passengers or motorists on Bricknell Avenue.

Goodfellowship pub foliage

John Fareham and John Abbott have secured an undertaking that work will be carried out to clear overgrown trees and vegetation on Kenilworth Avenue by the side of the Goodfellowship public house. We have arranged with the officers to contact the brewery and get them to trim the foliage but no reply from that quarter was received. We therefore arranged to contact the pub’s manager who informed us that she would pass the message on to the people who visit the pub on a regular basis in order that they could carry out the work when they come again some time later in the month. If of course no change in the position takes place and there is still foliage from the pub premises overhanging onto the carriageway, we will pursue the matter again.

Bricknell Avenue electricity substation

John Fareham and John Abbott have secured undertakings that the state of the electricity sub-station on Bricknell Avenue will be attended to. We have received complaints from local residents living nearby that, while the sub-station may very well be working OK, the grass and weeds around it are getting out of hand. We have therefore made representations to the local electricity providers concerned who have undertaken to send someone to take a look at it. They have said that this may well take them six to eight weeks but if nothing happens within that timeframe to improve the state of this sub-station we will of course contact them again.