A19 Shipton Road Cycle Route Will Cost £6 Million – and York Doesn’t Have the Money
One of York’s flagship cycle schemes, along the A19 Shipton Road from Bootham Bar to Rawcliffe Bar Park & Ride, will cost £6 million to build – and York doesn’t have the money.
That’s according to an evaluation of the schemes in York’s Active Travel Programme published in advance of a council Executive Meeting on Tuesday 22nd November 2022.
£6 million is nearly three times the total budget for York’s Active Travel Programme of £2.1 million.
A report entitled Programme Revision and Contract Award (‘the report’) says (para 30) that the Shipton Road project is currently at ‘design options stage’ and is awaiting further funding. Reworking of specific pinch points will be looked at separately with a view to early delivery.
Phase 1 and Phase 2
The total cost of York’s Active Travel Programme is around £36 million (para 1 of the report). With funding of just over £2 million, York can’t afford to implement the whole programme.
‘The increased specification and costs of the schemes that were initially identified in the Active Travel Programme means that it will not be possible to design and construct all the schemes at this time.’
para 56 of the report
Can increased specifications and costs can account for a budget that is 5.6% of the actual amount needed?
Anyway, officers are proposing to split the ATP into Phase 1 and Phase 2, as set out in Annex 2 to the report.
Even the projects that make it onto the Phase 1 list will not necessarily be built. Some projects will only continue to feasibility or detailed design.
No money is allocated to Phase 2 projects, which means that they will be ‘paused pending further funding’ (para 32 of the report).
ATF4
Active Travel England’s Active Travel Fund 4 (ATF4) is due to launch soon, and York intends to put in an ambitious bid. The oddly worded para 47 says:
”…it is the intention to bid for funding that all of the scheme in Phase 2 will be considered as part of an ambitious strategic bid to Active Travel England.’
para 47 of the report
ATP Scheme Evaluation
As mentioned above, Annex 3 to the report has a useful evaluation of all the schemes – explaining briefly what each involves, the cost estimate, priority, challenges to delivery, and progress made.
A19 Shipton Road
Two of the challenges to delivery of the A19 Shipton Road scheme are the removal of resident parking bays and removal of cobbles.
The scheme is nearing completion of the feasibility study, and concept designs have been shared with ward councillors.
Hospital Fields Road
This is a scheme to install segregated cycle facilities on Hospital Fields Road. The cost is around £800,000, and one of the challenges identified is that it will affect on-street parking.
A public consultation is due to start shortly. The scheme fulfils a strategic role in the cycle network, and looks likely to proceed.
A1237
Officers are proposing that the A1237 bridge over the railway and river should be kicked into Phase 2. They say that making proper active travel provision on the existing bridge is not possible, so it would need a separate bridge at a cost of around £10 million. That has all the hallmarks of “let’s make up a big number because we don’t want to do this.”
Acomb Road
Acomb Road is another scheme recommended for Phase 2.
Officers note high flows of cyclists and lack of any cycle provision, but cost the scheme at £4 million and say York doesn’t have the money.
Other Steps Being Taken on Active Travel in York
LCWIP
The report notes that a Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) is being developed, and this will be ready for approval in early 2023.
Tadcaster Road
Active travel improvements are to start on Tadcaster Road. Compounds are being built this month and the actual work will start in January 2023 and be finished by September.
The walking and cycling elements are worth £1.4 million, paid for by the Transforming Cities Fund. A further £5 million is being spent to resolve drainage issues.