York Cordon gets tighter and bigger
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ME YORK CORDON'S future will be known by May, and it is getting bigger and more restrictive.
The special sub-committee set up by :North Yorkshire County Council agreed last week that the ban should be extended to cover a 300 square mile area with a three-ton weight limit.
Earlier plans considered a 140 square mile area, but anomalies would have arisen which would have created difficulties for operators to the east of York.
It has now been extended to be bounded to the west by the Al, to the east by the A64, and to the north by the A170 Helmsey-Pickering road. York is in the south-east corner of the area.
The three-ton limit was the most severe of three options presented by county surveyor, Col G. Leech. The others were a five-ton limit or a Londonstyle 40ft length limit.
The Highways and Transportation Committee meets again on March 7 to consider the recommendations, and a final decision is expected in May.
Col Leech, who is known to be lukewarn about the plan, told the Council that there is no guarantee of the £480,000 plan giving overall relief. York's problems may well be diverted elsewhere.
He added that the lorry ban is only an interim measure in any case. The lorry problem should disappear when a by-pass is built, around 1987-90.
The Department of Transport is also concerned about how the ban will work. It fears that pressure could increase at Bramham crossroads on the Al.
Among councillors who are opposed to the ban, William Chapman said: "We would be better off keeping our fingers crossed and hoping the city's ring road comes as soon as possible."
But Clive Kay, a York city councillor, said that the difficulties created by the cordon were outweighed by the problems created by lorries in the area.