Proposal to invest £1.7m in riverside path work

A total of £1.7m could be invested to improve a well-used riverside path in York.

The plans for the path, between Jubilee Terrace and Scarborough Bridge, include separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians, improved lighting and changes to the road layout on Jubilee Terrace.

City of York Council's executive member for transport, Kate Ravilious, will be asked to agree to progress work to the detailed design and construction stage at a meeting on Tuesday.

She said the proposal was just one example of the council's efforts to make walking, wheeling and cycling easier and better across the city.

Tuesday's meeting follows extensive consultation with the local community, the council said, which had seen over 1,000 responses.

It said more than 85% supported the proposed design during the latest consultation.

"We are hugely grateful to the local community for their feedback as we progress this project," Ravilious added.

"Their input has helped shape the designs which are being put forward and we look forward to continuing to work with them as the project progresses."

Funding for the project has been generated through an award of £1.1m from Active Travel England which is focused on improvements to the path with additional funding provided across both the council and the York Central programme.

The scheme would also include work to raise the path, a move which could significantly reduce the number of days the route is inaccessible each year due to flooding.

National Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman, said: "It's fantastic to see York beginning to deliver a high-quality network to enable more people to walk, wheel and cycle.

"By gearing up our streets for active travel and making sure routes are safe and accessible, we're making sure that everyone has an opportunity to choose different ways of getting out and about."

In recent months the council has been carrying out riverside embankment surveys to check their long-term stability.

Following a review of this area, the executive member will also be asked to agree to start work to explore a separately resourced and funded project to identify the need for any remedial works to the embankments.

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