Orbital route intersection with Fishergate

The request was successful.

Dear City of York Council,

I write to you in relation to the crossing of Fishergate on the ‘Orbital route’, at approximate location (53°57'05.2"N 1°04'32.9"W). To my knowledge this was installed in September 2020 as part of resurfacing in this location. I will send a separate email illustrating the area with photographs.

This FOI request is specific to the intersection at this point. I raise this request to understand whether the council is adhering to government policy and principles contained in the publication “Gear change”, and specifically whether the council is adhering to the design guidance contained within LTN 1/20 (published on 27th July 2020). LTN 1/20 contains “Guidance for local authorities on designing high-quality, safe cycle infrastructure” and notably includes specific guidance for “Junctions and Crossings”, with Appendix B containing a Junction assessment tool. It came into effect on the 27th July, replacing both LTN 2/08 and LTN 1/12.

I also refer to the The Equality Act 2010, Section 20 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/201...) which contains a number of stipulations with regards to provisions, practices, criterion and physical features. These are legal obligations, and as such, are not optional. The Equality Act 2010, Section 20 is henceforth referred to as and by "S.20".

I write to ask the following questions;

1) Does the council consider the Orbital route connecting Blue Bridge lane to Melbourne Street to be a crossing or a pair of junctions across Fishergate at this point?
2) Do you consider LTN 1/20 to be the relevant guidance to the design and installation of cycle infrastructure at this location since resurfacing, and if not, why not?
3) What traffic flow on Fishergate, in average pcu per day, did the council utilise when considering this junction?

Below, I base my calculations on a figure of 9000 pcu per day, based on the information available from https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/local-aut... assuming an even split of traffic between Cemetery Road and Fishergate. I comment on the implications assuming a smaller figure of 5000 pcu per day as well.

4) Did the council consider this intersection using the Junction Evaluation Tool in appendix B of LTN 1/20?
5) Does the council agree with the score of 50% for this junction (noting a score of 70% is the minimum required for compliance)?
6) Could the council confirm the width of the refuges in question and whether they meet the standards laid out in paragraph 10.4.7 of LTN 1/20?
7) Did he council consider this intersection using Table 10-2 on page 100 of LTN 1/20?
8) Does the council agree that the current uncontrolled crossing scores Red (Amber for 5000 pcu/day) meaning that the orbital route would be defined as: “suitable for few people and will exclude most potential users and/or have safety concerns” (“not suitable for all people and will exclude some potential users and/or have safety concerns”)?
9) Do you agree that, with any interpretation of intersection type, and with any traffic flow in excess of 4000 pcu/day, this intersection does not meet the standards laid out in LTN 1/20?

As this forms part of the signposted and advertised Orbital cycle network, it is not unreasonable to expect cyclists, including disabled and adaptive cyclists, to wish to pass along here, as they are legally entitled to do. It is also reasonable to assume that many cyclists passing through here may not be familiar with the immediate local area, and may struggle to find an alternative route;

10) If you agree that work on this intersection did not bring it up to the standards required by LTN 1/20 will you confirm that the Orbital route will not be advertised as crossing at this point?
11) If so, what diversionary alternative will be made available?
12) If not, what provision will be made for the excluded cyclists to utilise this cycle route?
13) Please could you provide the equality impact assessment conducted for this intersection on a marked cycle route as required by EA S.20?
14) Please explain how continuing to advertise this route as the Orbital route is consistent with the EA S.20 given that guidance indicates the chosen design excludes less able groups?
15) Please explain how the chosen design of this intersection such that it excludes users with safety concerns, less than 200m from a primary school, is consistent with your “Travel back to school safely policy”, advertised on 1/9/2020?
16) Please provide the correct contact point for any further actions, including for any potential Letter(s) Before Action(s) to be addressed to.

Please provide the requested information in either table, or bullet pointed format, addressing each question raised fully in turn.

Please do not use "Refer to previous answer N", as none of my questions are likely to be satisfactorily answered by a prior question, and this will only result in additional FOI requests.

If it is not possible to provide the information requested due to the information exceeding the cost of compliance limits identified in Section 12, please provide advice and assistance, under the Section 16 obligations of the Act, as to how I can refine my request.

If you can identify any ways that my request could be refined, I would be grateful for any further advice and assistance.

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email, and I will be very happy to clarify what I am asking for and to discuss this request; my details are outlined below.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

Jamie

foi@york.gov.uk, City of York Council

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Regards
Information governance, complaints and feedback team

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foi@york.gov.uk, City of York Council

1 Attachment

Hello Jamie

I have submitted the request to service, however they have asked for the photo's you advised you were sending separately.

If you could send then to [City of York Council request email], quoting ref: IGF/24282.

Regards

Please send all responses and emails to the team address used to send this correspondence, rather than my personal email address.

Information Governance Advisor.
t: 01904 554145 | e: [City of York Council request email]

City of York Council | Information Governance, Complaints and Feedback Team
West Offices | Station Rise | York YO1 6GA
www.york.gov.uk | facebook.com/cityofyork | @CityofYork

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foiresponses_NO-REPLY@york.gov.uk, City of York Council

1 Attachment

Dear Dr Wood

Please find attached a response to your recent Freedom of Information
Request.

Please note the email address you sent your email to, is used only for
sending purposes and not monitored. This means all emails sent to this
address will not be seen by any council officers and will also be deleted.
Please resend your email to [City of York Council request email]
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* * * * * * * * *
Help protect the environment! - please don't print this email unless you
really need to.

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