York Civic Trust Calls for a Local Transport Plan
York Civic Trust has called on the city council to publish a Local Transport Plan (LTP). It says York is getting left behind.
The Civic Trust’s Transport Strategy for York page sets out some of the challenges that need to be solved and says a new LTP is needed very soon.
Climate Goals
The Civic Trust explains that York’s Climate Change Strategy identifies a need for the city’s transport emissions to be cut by 71%.
This entails reducing vehicle miles travelled by 25% by 2030, and increasing bus use by 25% and active travel by 33%.
The Climate Change Strategy does not say how these ambitious targets should be achieved, and recently travel trends in York have been in the wrong direction.
York’s most recent LTP dates from 2011, and does not reflect current needs.
A New LTP
York already has a draft Local Transport Strategy, and it will be published for consultation in February 2023. It is intended to lead to a new LTP, which will be consulted on later in 2023.
City of York Council has been waiting for new government guidance on LTPs. That guidance is due to be published early in 2023.
York Civic Trust is concerned that the council’s timetable is too slow. It worries that between the declaration of a climate emergency by City of York Council in 2019, and the deadline for the emissions reductions (2030), there will be no coordinated action on transport.
It says that five UK cities have already produced new LTPs, without waiting for the government guidance.
The Civic Trust says that North Yorkshire has an LTP dating from 2016. While that’s true, North Yorkshire’s LTP is absolutely not a blueprint for reducing emissions from transport. North Yorkshire is also waiting for the government guidance before it produces a new LTP.
Mayoral Combined Authority for York & North Yorkshire
A new Mayoral Combined Authority for York and North Yorkshire is to be set up in Autumn 2023, with Mayoral elections in Spring 2024.
A provisional LTP for the region should be in place by March 2024 – presumably in addition to individual LTPs for York and for North Yorkshire.