Chanterlands Avenue carriageway work

John Fareham and John Abbott report that the proposed carriageway work on Chanterlands Avenue between Goddard Avenue and Bricknell Avenue is shortly going out to tender.

Papers for the January meeting of Wyke Area Committee reported that the Council will be advertising shortly for contractors to carry out the work. It is expected that the work will commence in the first week of March and the plan is to lay not one but two 40mm-thick layers of tarmac in the hope that doing do will double the time for which the new surfaces will last. We certainly hope that is the case as we know from conversations with local residents that there are safety implications, especially perhaps for the elderly, in uneven or irregular road surfaces. This work will hopefully obviate such problems, at least for a number of years.

Loveridge Avenu traffic

John Fareham and John Abbott are arranging a public meeting to discuss fresh proposals for Loveridge Avenue traffic.

The technicalities and legalities are beyond the scope of what can easily be explained here, but it would appear possible to vary the legal status of Loveridge Avenue so as to give the Council a wider range of options for addressing traffic  and parking issues. As with a traffic regulation order, a consultation process is legally required and the officers will be writing to all households in Loveridge Avenue to give details of an event, probably at the Avenues Centre on Park Avenue, at which residents will have a full opportunity to discuss the nature and impact of the proposals. When we ourselves know the date of this event we will of course pass it on.

Hartoft Road shops

John Fareham and John Abbott are working with the Police to deal with anti-social behaviour issues in the vicinity of the Hartoft Road shops.

Obviously outside the shops is not the only place where such antics take place, but we hear reports of such distasteful antics as attacks on members of the minority communities carried out by persons who are known to the Police.  The Police and ourselves are in agreement that more local residents will need to come forward and give evidence if these matters are to be properly resolved.  The Police and Crime Commissioner has apparently committed more funds to police recruitment, but what effect if any that will have on local police numbers remains to be seen. We certainly hope it will not run parallel to the attitude of some of his Labour colleagues to the allocation of library funds – the less said about the element of partisanship in that the better!

Chanterlands Avenue pedestrian crossing

John Fareham and John Abbott report that the pedestrian crossing on Chanterlands Avenue will be restored as part of the impending resurfacing works.

We sought and received confirmation that this was the case at the January meeting of Wyke Area Committee.  Given that this crossing is of particular use to residents of Rainhill Road, we were concerned that it might simply be covered in tarmac. Thankfully that is not the case and we look forward to seeing the outcome of a process that has involved considerable pressure on both our parts for some years.  It is our hope that, now the work is timetabled, it will lead to an awareness on the part of the corporate centre that this junction and this pedestrian crossing do exist and that they need, in the longer term, to be taken care of.

County Road North traffic patrol survey

John Fareham and John Abbott have arranged for a traffic survey to be conducted on County Road North with a view to the possible reinstatement of a crossing patrol.

Local residents have complained to the effect that it is difficult if not potentially dangerous to cross County Road North with children in tow.  Given that we know from personal experience how difficult it can be to cross County Road North at peak times, we referred the matter to the officers who have now agreed, given that the previous crossing patrol was first moved and then discontinued, to conduct a survey to ascertain  whether current levels of demand would justify the reintroduction of a crossing patrol. As soon as we know the outcome of the survey we will of course let local residents know.

Goddard Avenue carrigeway resurfacing

John Fareham and John Abbott have secured the resurfacing of the Goddard Avenue carriageway.

Arrangements have been made with contractors to begin work on this in March with a view to its being completed by the end of May.  This is part of a major series of resurfacing works spread across a number of wards and also including the resurfacing of Kirkham Drive. At the time of going to press we do not have an exact date for the commencement of the works but as soon as we do have one we will of course ensure that local residents are made aware of it.

Kirkham Drive microsurfacing

John Fareham and John Abbott have secured the microsurfacing of Kirkham Drive carriageways.

Our latest information, which you would be able to confirm for yourselves were you to download the papers for the January meeting of Wyke Area Committee, is that the works have been issued to the contractors and that they will form part of a programme of works to be carried out here and elsewhere beginning in March and due to be completed by the end of May.  It goes without saying that as soon as we have an actual start date for the works we will of course pass it on so that any arrangements you need to make for alternative means of travel or transportation during the course of the works can be made in good time.

Hotham Road North buses

John Fareham and John Abbott  have further news in the campaign about buses causing traffic problems and vibration by travelling along Hotham Road North.

East Riding Council decided to alter the West Bulls junction making it impossible for a bus to turn right from Bricknell Avenue and enter onto Cottingham Road reluctantly forcing the Bus companies to re-route.  We undertook to talk to senior people at County Hall because the local ERYC councillors support retaining the remodelling, just as the council officers do.  In an interesting turn of events the meeting request was turned down because they consider the junction works for them, and because we had not attended a meeting, in 2015, with people who couldn't make a decision, which we had not been consulted over the timing of anyway.   Had we been consulted we could have told them we would have been unable to attend as we had other meetings! Nevertheless, they made the ridiculous offer that if we paid they would consider alterations which is the clearest indication yet they know the junction is flawed. Duly we discussed this with the Guildhall’s Portfolio Holder who said, and we can’t blame him, funds would not be spent here.

Cropton Park sports and recreation

John Fareham and John Abbott are working to ensure that a programme of activities for young people can be arranged on Cropton Park.

Meetings have been held with a local community sports provider who is applying for external funding to ensure that a programme of activities can be held in Cropton Park for local youths as well as others in the area. If funding is made available it is proposed to start these activities sometime in the Spring of this year. We very much hope this can be progressed as, with the discovery of asbestos in the old café/parks building, that building will have to be demolished and the space it occupies will be grassed over. That in turn means that any plans to deter vandalism and anti-social behaviour by having the café regularly staffed will go by the board, but we hope that providing young people with activities to take up and enjoy, we will deter them from indulging in anti-social behaviour by offering them something we hope they will prefer.

Replacement litter bins

John Fareham and John Abbott have arranged for replacement litter bins to begin to be installed on Cottingham Road, Bricknell Avenue, Fairfax Avenue and elsewhere.

The new bins have initially been installed in an area bounded by Cottingham Road, Fairfax Avenue and Bricknell Avenue. They will all be made of red metal which we hope will be more resistant to vandalism than the materials used in the past which have at various times been bashed in or set on fire. When the bins in this part of the ward have been replaced it is proposed to roll out the same type of bins across the rest of the ward until all the bins here have been replaced.

Allderidge Avenue and Newland Park parking

John Fareham and John Abbott wish to know whether, in the light of the ongoing building works at the University, residents wish to see the current parking restrictions in Allderidge Avenue and Newland Park reviewed to meet the increasing demand for parking  spaces which may result.

Many  have seen the huge cranes on the skyline and will know the Halls of Residence are going up.  Although the University say they will discourage bringing cars, and of course we believe them entirely, that does not stop students applying to live in the new accommodation and making sure they park off-campus to meet the University’s requirements.  There is little the University could do to penalise what would be lawful behaviour. As a result some residents of Newland Park have asked us if they can  review the parking restrictions most especially on the inner loop.  Some residents of Allderidge Avenue have asked us if they can now join the resident parking scheme that was declined two decades ago.  Because we do not squander your money, from the limited amount Labour give us, we have the funds to make a Traffic Regulation Order and are checking with the officers what options there are.