Osbaldwick traffic restrictions to be put in place
Osbaldwick verge parking and and buses blocked by weddings and funerals prompt new restrictions
Restrictions are set to be introduced on roads in Osbaldwick to try and tackle verge parking and traffic issues including those linked to weddings and funerals at a church.
Double yellow lines are set for the Osbaldwick Link Road, the Osbaldwick Village and Osbaldwick Lane junction and Murton Way, along with a clearway in the latter.
Cllr Kate Ravilious, York Council’s Labour transport spokesperson, said the restrictions aimed to strike a balance between supporting legitimate parking and tackling it where it is obstructive.
But Osbaldwick and Derwent’s Cllr Mark Warters said double yellow lines would not work and it would push the problem to another road.
The decision on Tuesday, October 21 to advertise the measures in traffic regulation orders (TROs) came as part of the council’s yearly review of requests for restrictions in York.
Restrictions backed on Tuesday include reintroducing double yellow lines along the whole length of the Osbaldwick Link Road to remove parking.
Tuesday’s meeting heard the development of businesses there had led to an increase in parking on the footpath.
A clearway starting from just after the entrance to the Heritage House car park and running along Murton Way and ending shortly before the junction with Murton Garth is also planned.
Those measures aim to stop parking on Murton Way’s footpath which is only on one side of the road in the direction of Murton village.
Murton Way is also set to have double yellow lines extended to cover the junction with Beckett Drive.
They aim to protect pedestrians’ access to tactile crossings and improve visibility for vehicles exiting their drives.
Double yellow lines are also planned for Osbaldwick Lane and Osbaldwick village, at the junction of the two roads.
Those measures come in response to buses struggling to access that stretch of Osbaldwick Lane due to parking for weddings and funerals at St Thomas’ Church.
The measures are set to be advertised in TROs and they would be approved unless the council receives objections.
But independent Cllr Warters said that although most people locally believed something needed to be done to tackle parking problems, double yellow lines were not the right solution.
He added an urban clearway prohibiting parking twice a day in the morning and afternoon along the whole bus route through Osbaldwick would cause the least amount of inconvenience.
The ward councillor vowed to oppose the changes and said he would seek the backing of Osbaldwick and Murton’s parish councils and residents to fight them.
Cllr Warters said: “If those concerned at the council refuse to look for a sensible solution to problems not created by residents then it will reinforce my view that this chaos is being deliberately created to further the aims of the council to impose residential parking permits (ResPark) into Osbaldwick.”
Council Transport Executive Member Cllr Kate Ravilious told Tuesday’s meetings she recognised Cllr Warters’ and residents’ frustrations and balancing different needs was difficult.
She added the situation may need to be revisited if parking problems move elsewhere but she denied the measures were part of efforts to introduce ResPark restrictions.
Cllr Ravilious said: “I understand why Cllr Warters wants an urban clearway and that residents want to preserve the local village environment, but it would only resolve parking issues two times a day.
“We’re trying to find a reasonable balance between legitimate parking and obstructive parking while continuing to make sure we have access for Blue Badge holders, pedestrians and cyclists while preserving green spaces and protecting road safety.”