Consultation on permanent traffic restrictions for York Christmas Market
York Council launches consultation on permanent traffic restrictions
Plans to make traffic restrictions brought in during last year’s Christmas Market in York permanent have gone out to consultation.
City of York Council’s consultation on whether to approve North Yorkshire Police’s request to make the Anti-Terror Traffic Regualtion Order (ATTRO) permanent launched on Wednesday, March 18.
The council stated similar measures already in place in cities across the UK aimed to reduce the risk of possible terror attacks.
The launch of the consultation comes after the council’s Labour executive decided to move forward with the proposals on Tuesday, March 3.
Approval of the consultation came as councillors backed looking at a number of measures to change the way future Christmas Markets are run.
Extra temporary Blue Badge parking spaces, rest areas, changes to opening times and opening the winter event on fewer days are among the measures set to be looked at.
They follow a council review into the way city centre events are run after the temporary ATTRO brought in during last year’s market.
Police officers said measures barring vehicles from city centre streets subject to hostile vehicle measures during the event’s opening hours were needed to deter attacks targetting mass gatherings.
But disabled people said the restrictions hindered their access to the city centre in the run up to Christmas.
The permanent ATTRO being consulted on would typically lie dormant but it could be triggered if the police, council and other emergency services deem it necessary.
The council stated having measures in place permanently would make reactions to requests for restrictions immediate instead of processing orders individually.
Labour council leader Cllr Claire Douglas said earlier this month measures to ease the impact of the market were designed to make it and the city centre accessbile to everyone.
It would extend beyond the area currently protected by hostile vehicle bollards to Deangate, College Street, Duncombe Place, High Petergate and Precentor’s Court.
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Cllr Paula Widdowson said the ruling group’s pledge to reverse a city centre Blue Badge parking ban risked being broken if the ATTRO is made permanent.
She added decisions about access should always be made by the police and accused Labour of politicising the issue.
Disability rights activist Flick Williams said she feared the ATTRO would be used during more city centre events, including protests, as counter-terror measures become more stringent.
York Pubwatch said a compromise should be found if an ATTRO is brought in if an ATTRO is implemented permanantly and called for the Christmas Market to be protected.
Andrew Lowson, chief executive of York’s Business Improvement District (BID), said good access for Blue Badge holders had been maintained in Chester where similar restrictions are in place.
York Council’s Labour Deputy Leader and Economy Executive Member Cllr Pete Kilbane said they wanted to keep putting on city centre events while maintaining access.
He added the Liberal Democrats were in favour of banning Blue Badge holders all year round.
The consultation is set to run for eight weeks until Wednesday, May 13.