Photomap

[NOTE: While taking images here: #191289 I asked one of the people cycling on what is a pavement why he used that route. He said he had, at different times, broken his shoulder and an arm on the spiral slope. He said his friends with "racing cycles" can't use it. It is not gritted in winter and is too slippery.] [UPDATE: I used the route in the week beginning 28.11.22. I saw the leaves had been cleared.] [NOTE: I was taking 'measurements' photos on 9.11.22 - see: #187621 and links. A man in a wheelchair arrived at the top of this slope. I asked how it was to use it in a wheelchair. He said, "It's a nightmare." He explained he had the low sun in his eyes so couldn't see but needed to as it is so busy, it is steep, it has camber..."] [UPDATE: From an email from Sustrans 2.11.22 "In terms of the issues raised about access at Crichton Avenue/Denning’s Yard, I have heard back from the North team. They say that Sustrans has secured funding to improve other sections of the Foss Islands path in the near future. As part of that project, we will look at potential improvements at Crichton Avenue, particularly around solutions to the steps and the access control bollards. At present this part of the Foss Islands doesn’t form part of the National Cycle Network, however we do plan to incorporate it in the future, so we will be working to make it meet our ‘For Everyone’ vision for the NCN. (The Vision is on p12 of this document - dated January 2022 - www.sustrans.org.uk/media/9991/sustrans-p4e-three-years-on-eng-digital.pdf)
In terms of any current plans to extend the traffic free path to the hospital, this is something you might have to email the council about as our ownership of the land ends at the Crichton Avenue/Denning’s Yard access point."
[Image taken 28.10.22] Foss Islands Path (at Crichton Avenue Road end), York. [NOTE: No street view at this location] This steep horseshoe-shaped slope is part of a key route through the city. It is part of the York Orbital (yorkshireridings.blogspot.com/p/york-orbital.html). It was built by Sustrans (sustrans.org.uk/) in 1994. It meets no current standards. It is used by all ages on all manner of non motorised vehicles and for all reasons - slower leisure riders, children on balance bikes (see: #170963), primary pupils going to/from school, adults holding a child's hand, people pushing pushchairs, cargo cycles for family and business use, adults and children on scooters - e- and non. My count results are here: #183552. It is just 288cm here and even narrower further up: #170965 and then there are the bollards... #170964. The access/exit (see: #170962) at the top is Denning's Yard access. This dead end road is the subject of a residential planning application: 21-01154-FUL. I met one of the Joint Chairs of the York Cycle Campaign (yorkcyclecampaign.bike/) at the top today to explain - in situ - my worry that CYC does not realise the important of the route, its limitations, its hazards... And that CYC is going to let a chance to rework access to/from Foss Islands Path and any chance of a developer's money slip away. As we were talking a pedestrian popped out at the top. He said, Those leaves are slippery. Within five minutes we heard someone come off on them - the wet leaves on the path in my image. This is a further hazard of this steep curved incline. (In the winter of 2022 CYC gritted this slope.) I believe there is or was a plan to create a direct flat motor traffic-free link to/from the hospital from here. [This has been ruled out - #187372] The current iteration of the path to and from the 'valley floor' means many people won't be able to use it or will be deterred from using it and, further, that it could be more hazardous to use than the road. Other images on this Path today: #187305, #187306. Other image today: #187307.