DEBATE: Should The Groves stay closed?

The letters pages of The Press have been deluged recently with letters from people both for and against the controversial experimental road closure. Many believed the consultation period was coming to an end.

But the council’s deputy leader and executive member for transport Cllr Andy D’Agorne confirmed today that a decision on the scheme is not expected to be made until December - and that people will be able to make their views on the scheme known for some time yet.

"We do not have a set date for the consultation to end yet," Cllr D'Agorne said. "We expect a decision on the future of the scheme to be scheduled to be taken by December 2021. As the evaluation period continues, objections and views on the scheme can still be made."

To have your say, visit york.gov.uk/TheGroves

Meanwhile, here are some of the things Press correspondents have had to say on the controversial scheme...

IN FAVOUR OF THE ROAD CLOSURE

Edward Freedman, Lockwood Street, The Groves: I would like to strongly support the permanent closure of Penleys Grove Street and Lowther Street to through traffic.

The end of through traffic from these roads has transformed the area for residents. There is a substantial improvement in air quality when walking around and even internally - no longer am I subject to mouthfuls of diesel fumes on a daily basis.

The area and my home is much more peaceful without the intrusive effect of vehicle engines. The absence of traffic and its noise and fumes has enabled more on-street socialisation with neighbours.

The area is much safer to move around. As a wheelchair user I felt especially vulnerable at pinch points such as the Penleys Grove Street crossing at Groves Lane.The traffic restrictions also seem to have enabled wildlife to flourish: my family in Penleys Grove Street has hedgehogs in the garden. During lockdown foxes have become a regular sight in the area.

Penleys Grove Street and Lowther Street are densely populated small scale streets which were not built for heavy traffic. Many houses are accessed directly from the pavement. It is not appropriate that streets of this type are used as main roads for through traffic.

Whilst I sympathise with residents affected by any increased traffic on the arterial roads surrounding the area Huntington Road, Haxby Road, Clarence Street and Lord Mayor’s Walk are larger scale roads which are either arterial or part of the inner ring road. They are not as densely populated , and are more capable of accommodating traffic.

DM Deamer, Penleys Grove Street: As a resident of Penleys Grove Street for over 40 years I would like to comment. Stationary traffic creates more low levels of pollution than moving traffic. The numbers of houses / people within the boundaries of the zone far outweighs the numbers on the periphery. Lord Mayors Walk, Clarence Street and parts of Huntington Road are wider (if you remove the parked cars ) and as such better able to handle traffic than the narrow Groves streets.

To the best of my knowledge ambulances have never ever used The Groves as a main route, simply because of the amount of parked and queueing traffic. The streets have always two seasons. When it's quiet some people race down at breakneck speed . When it's busy, meanwhile, people trying to get a few places ahead in the traffic by using the side streets.

Dr F Ward, Pickering: My daughter lives in The Groves. The changes and closures have made such a difference for the better.

There is one mistake, however - the signage is appalling. Penleys Grove Street has sometimes 200 cars and vans every day turning around at the St Johns Road junction. Please let us have better signs!

AGAINST THE CLOSURE

Peter Bradshaw, Copmanthorpe, York: Some things do not have to be actually done for us to know what the outcome will be. This is one of them.

What an utter waste of time and money - another fine example of the incompetence of the City of York Council.

It's pretty obvious that if you turn the tap off, the noise stops and the sink goes dry. Equally, it's pretty obvious that if you stop the traffic in one area noise, pollution levels etc drop dramatically - but increase in other areas.

M Carlyle, Walpole Street York: Due to ill health l have to use taxis to get to the supermarket. I now have to pay £4 extra every time, because closing The Groves has resulted in more queues on traffic on Haxby Road, Clarence Street and Lord Mayors Walk.

Another ridiculous idea by City of York Council. Open the Groves back up.

Michael Widdall, Waverley Street, York: As a resident of Waverley Street, I, along with many of my neighbours, have been significantly negatively affected by the Traffic Order in The Groves.

The council says that the aim is to improve air quality, reduce the volume and speed of traffic and 'build on the existing sense of community' in the Groves area. While these are noble intentions, the Traffic Order fails to achieve or advance any of these causes and its impact is detrimental in many ways.

Closing certain roads within The Groves does not achieve the aim of streets that are less congested and with better air quality. In fact, it has the opposite effect; a net increase in pollution as vehicles are forced to use more fuel to follow long diversionary routes and spend longer idling or travelling at very low speeds along already heavily congested roads, such as Lord Mayors Walk and Monkgate.

Furthermore, as a direct result of this experiment, significantly higher volumes of polluting traffic has been directed past St Wilfred's Catholic School on Monkgate and Haxby Road Primary Academy.

I see no evidence that more people are cycling or walking to work as a result of this traffic order. There has been a reduction in general traffic flow over the last 18 months, but this has been a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The proposal's intention to help people feel safer when out and about in the area is not supported by any evidence that an individual's safety was placed at a higher risk by the traffic in the area. In fact, as a direct result of the trial, vehicle-related crime has increased on St. John Street. My own vehicle has been damaged twice in the last six months by large vehicles trying to fit down the narrow residential streets.

As to building on the sense of community: I am sure there are more important things that could be done, other than simply closing the road. If the aim is to regenerate the area, then having good transport access and opportunity for passing trade will be essential. Many strong high streets, such as Bishopthorpe Road, rely on the road and passing trade.