Outlet's seasonal parking rules to be made permanent

A seasonal parking ban put in place during a York shopping centre's annual Winter Wonderland event is to be enforced all year, a council has said.

City of York Council said double yellow lines would be painted on Naburn Lane and St Nicholas Avenue, leading to the Designer Outlet in Fulford.

The outlet's manager Paul Taylor had objected to part of the plan, warning double yellow lines on St Nicholas Avenue could increase congestion.

However, the authority said it would help tackle parking on verges and footpaths in the run-up to Christmas.

Restrictions will be in place on both sides of Naburn Lane, except on one side on the stretch of the road in front of homes.

Double yellow lines will be painted along both the outer sides of St Nicholas Avenue and those closest to the central reservation.

Taylor said problems during the festive period stemmed from too much demand for its 2,700 spaces, 1,000 of which are reserved for the Park and Ride there.

He added they welcomed plans for Naburn Lane but urged councillors to look again at those for St Nicolas Avenue.

"I believe this is going to make congestion worse.

"I'm suggesting that you leave the length of St Nicolas Avenue without double yellow lines because that gives us all a last resort for 150 vehicles to park safely."

However, Kate Ravilious, the Labour council's transport spokesperson whose ward includes the outlet, said she had seen the issues caused by obstructive parking.

"There's a need to balance parking with maintaining traffic flows, I've heard instances of buses missing the stop at the Designer Outlet because the approach was so congested."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a council report said parking problems had been reported on St Nicholas Avenue in recent years, with vehicles being left on the roadside, grass verges and central reservation.

Officials said traffic cones used during events had been damaged, and that introducing permanent restrictions would help manage parking more effectively.

Talks between council officials and the shopping centre over covering the cost of implementing the restrictions are set to take place.

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