Further details of measures designed to support cycling, walking and bus use along the Tadcaster Road corridor have been published, with feedback invited by 27th June.

After a previous round of engagement in August and September 2021, council officers committed to engage further, in particular with residents in the Slingsby Grove area, on the finer details of the measures proposed for that section of the corridor including a new signalised pedestrian crossing. Letters have been sent to households in that area, and the full suite of information is available online at  www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/tadcasterroad 

There will also be a presentation at the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Ward Committee meeting on 23 June at St Edwards Church.

Councillor Stephen Fenton is encouraging residents to have their say and respond to the consultation.

Dringhouses & Woodthorpe now has its own Local Area Co-ordinator – Catherine Claudius-Cole - whose role it is to support residents for whom life is difficult due to age, disability, mental / physical health or other life circumstances.

The £14k improvement works at Leeside playground are now complete, thanks to funding from the ward budget and funds awarded following a successful bid to the council submitted by ward councillors, which was informed by residents’ responses to a consultation in early 2021.

Council highways bosses have been asked why a section of Moor Lane is to be resurfaced whilst another stretch that is in far worse condition will be left untouched.

The council’s Highways Maintenance Programme for 2022/23 has been published, and it proposes that £222,000 is spent resurfacing the section of Moor Lane from the Chaloners Road roundabout over the railway bridge to the Askham Bar roundabout. £60,000 is also proposed to be spent on ‘surface dressing’ on Askham Lane, but there is no mention of the stretch of Moor Lane between Cairnborrow and Eden Close which is in a very poor state and poses a hazard to cyclists in particular.

The programme for 2022/23 also makes no mention of streets such as Crummock, Wains Grove and the Ryecroft Avenue / Acorn Way junction, which are all in an appalling state.

The situation is not helped by the Conservative Government’s cut to road and pavement maintenance funding for the city. In 2020/21 the Government cut York’s funding by a third, from £4m to £2.8m, and has now confirmed funding will remain at this lower level for the next three years. This amounts to a total cut of £4.8m.

Cllr Stephen Fenton commented “It makes no sense to me to spend almost a quarter of a million pounds on a stretch of Moor Lane which, in comparison with the section further up towards the ring road, is in reasonably good condition. When money is tight, residents expect it to be spent where it is most needed."

Residents are invited to call into a drop-in session being held every Monday from 1 to 2.30pm at St James the Deacon Church on Sherringham Drive in Woodthorpe.

Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward's new Local Area Co-ordinator, Catherine Claudius-Cole, will be available for a chat and to offer support and advice.

Don Avenue will be closed at the junction with Eason View on Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th May for resurfacing work.

Dropped kerbs have been installed to make it easier for cyclists and users of mobility scooter users to get around the local area.

Along Lomond Ginnel some dropped kerbs have been installed to create better access to and from this busy cycle and foot path from streets such as Girvan Close (pictured below), Dalmally Close and Helmsdale.

Arsonists have badly damaged play equipment at the Leeside playground, which recently benefited from £14,000 of investment. The damage was done on the evening of Saturday 30 April and the Fire Service were called to extinguish the blaze. 

Cllr Stephen Fenton has asked council officers to repair or replace the damaged equipment and surfacing.

This Easter holidays, York City FC Foundation is running a number of free kickabout sessions for young people, funded by the local ward committees. The sessions will cater for young people aged 4 up to 17, with drinks and snacks provided.

The sessions are being held at Chesneys Field, Woodthorpe Green and the Knavesmire. Dates and times are on the posters below.

Pre-booking is essential, at https://officialsoccerschools.co.uk/yorkcity/york-city-courses/multi_activity.html

This Easter holiday, York City Knights Foundation will again be offering free 'inflatable arena' activity sessions for young people. The sessions are open to all children and young people aged five and upwards, with food and drink provided. There’s no need to book – just turn up.

Sessions in the west of York are listed below:

• Monday 11 April, 1.30 to 3.30 – Woodthorpe Green
• Thursday 14 April, 1.30 to 3.30 – York Acorn, Thanet Road
• Thursday 21 April, 10 to 12 – York Acorn, Thanet Road