Andy D’Agornes said: “York Green Party welcomes this significant step towards implementing a long-term Transport Strategy for York, with an exciting package of ambitions and measures in Annex A, including reference to a key ambition to reinstate a Dial a Ride service sadly closed down last year. It’s also great to see commitment to a secure city centre bike parking hub, and implementing temporary event Bike parking such as for the Xmas Market. This idea has proved to be an effective active travel measure in Leicester, along with their free city centre Hopper bus service which has sadly been ditched from transport plans for York.
“The broad commitment to the Transport Modal Hierarchy and a significant shift from reliance on cars to active and bus travel to cater for our growth as a city are both very welcome.
“While much of funding sources may be unclear, as the former Exec Member who secured the £17m BSIP funding over two years ago, the commitment to at long last deliver additional bus priority along the route from the Station over Lendal Bridge to Cliffords Tower is especially welcome. This measure is desperately needed to reverse the spiral of decline in bus service reliability in York post covid. A 50% increase in bus use by 2030 will not only rely on an effective network review and Mayoral input but also rapidly tackling the city centre congestion that impacts on most routes particularly at peak times.
“Finally on the bus fare cap increase to £3 from January announced in the Budget I appeal to the Executive, the Enhanced Partnership and the Mayor to not allow a de facto 50% increase in fares for even shorter journeys within York and to take a lead from Andy Burnham (Manchester) and Tracey Brabin (West Yorkshire) to retain a York £2 cap as a key part of this strategy.”
