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Things could soon be changing in certain areas of the city centre, after City of York Council Members are being asked to consider and approve further significant investment in York's city centre, as part of the Reinvigorate York initiative.
An initial £200k of funding from the Council's Economic Infrastructure Fund was approved in July for a package of improvements to paving, lighting, seating, bins and de-cluttering of public spaces.
The £3.3 million package is to support the delivery of six city centre projects over the next three years. The demolition of public toilets in Parliament Street was completed in April, and designs will now be explored to make the junction more pedestrian friendly between Parliament Street, Piccadilly, High Ousegate and Coppergate.
In King's Square, works proposed would create a larger public space in this area with level surfaces and improved surfacing providing better disabled access; building on the success of King's Square as a performance space.
Foosgate has been identified in the Footstreets Review as the next area to be pedestrianised in the city centre. Proposed improvements to the Fossgate and Whip-ma-Whop-ma junction would also help to improve pedestrian safety and increase activity.
As a key approach to the Minster from the station, the Duncombe Place and Blake Street areas would see improvements from the council fund. Guard railings have already been removed from this junction, which has clearly helped the pedestrian flow.
High quality paving at the entrance to Micklegate Bar will improve its setting and, combined with other measures to enhance the pedestrian usage and reduce traffic, will help to improve the appearance and investment potential of this beautiful gateway street.
Sir Ron Cooke, advisor to the Reinvigorate York panel says, "The quality of York's public realm is of vital importance to the city's future - it is our unique selling point not just for over 7 million visitors, but also for residents, entrepreneurs, investors, job creators, employees on the move and students."
