‘Fix snicket barrier blunder now’ say Lib Dems

Liberal Democrat councillors and campaigners in Rawcliffe & Clifton Without ward are calling on City of York Council to take urgent action to fix a blunder which they say risks turning a footpath into a racetrack.

As part of a programme to replace barriers which are difficult for disabled people to navigate, the council was meant to remove the barrier on a snicket which connects Angram Close and Lanshaw Croft and replace it with chicane barriers. These would allow buggies and wheelchair users through, whilst making cyclists slow down. However due to a mix-up, the council replaced the old barriers with just a single bollard, which does nothing to slow cyclists and opens up the snicket to motorbikes. This has led to complaints from local residents who are concerned about the safety of pedestrians on this well-used route which connects the estate with Clifton Moor.

In response to residents’ concerns, Cllr Samantha Waudby undertook a survey of affected residents which showed strong support for measures to fix the council’s blunder. She also met on site with the council officer responsible on 16^th June and stressed the need for urgent action. Seven weeks later, there is no sign of the promised chicane barriers being installed.

Cllr Waudby commented:

“The council didn’t tell residents or local councillors about the barrier removal – if they had, we could have checked to make sure that the workers put in the correct replacements. The council has admitted that it has got this wrong. At a time when council finances are stretched, it’s very disappointing that the job wasn’t done properly first time round.

“I have spent a lot of time talking to residents and have made council officers aware of the strength of feeling locally about this. Urgent action is needed to install the promised chicane barriers, otherwise I am concerned that someone is going to get hurt.”