Latest news with #KateRavilious
BBC News
02-08-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Phone payment system for parking in York isn't inclusive'
Carrying extra change to feed the parking meter used to be a common habit - but in the digital age, it's increasingly a thing of the some local authorities making a move towards cashless payment methods in their car parks, concerns around accessibility and digital exclusion have been raised. City of York Council recently introduced pay-by-phone only parking in areas across the city centre, to mitigate the cost of upgrading machines and to reduce Kate Ravilious, executive member for transport, said that the pay-by-phone system was secure, and didn't require users to have a smartphone in order to pay. The BBC went to speak to people and businesses in the city centre to find out how the changes to parking payment methods affected them. Disability activist Flick Williams was one of the 793 people who responded to last year's council consultation about on-street parking moving to cashless. She objected to the move to a pay-by-phone system on the basis that it wasn't inclusive to people who might struggle with technology for a variety of reasons."Digital exclusion is primarily associated with older people but also people with learning difficulties, with brain injuries, would also struggle with it," she said."They might not themselves be drivers, but they often have support workers who take them to appointments, and the deal can be that the client pays for parking -with cash that was easier. "Now support workers have to download an app and there's no proof of receipt."She added that a choice between payment methods would be fairer and more inclusive. 'Customers worry' John Cotton, owner of Bang Hair Salon on Bishopthorpe Road, said that his customers had to spend time downloading the app to pay, often making them late to appointments and "stressed out"."They really need to put in place something where you can tap a card – people don't want the app, they don't want all this extra data and personal information in another app," he said."With the rise in data crime these days, they need to be able to just tap a card, but they can't do that."Hairdresser Sophie at Studio 56 on Micklegate reported her clients often encountered similar issues, making their salon experience rushed and unenjoyable."The number or the app doesn't always work, meaning that customers are worried about getting a ticket," she up Micklegate, Lucius Books shop assistant Poppy said she often had to help people parking on the street. "We have quite a few people coming in confused about parking charges and how to pay. There's not clear information on the parking zones," she said."I do think quite a large proportion of our customers are from an older demographic, but we have customers of all kinds." In the Marygate car park, visitors Liz and Roy said they'd been concerned about payment methods while travelling in, stating that they would simply "not park" in an area that took phone-only payment options."By card, I don't mind but I couldn't do anything on the phone," Liz said."Having to pay by app was something we were panicking about as we drove in, thinking 'oh my goodness, if we've got to pay by phone, we're stuck'. "We certainly wouldn't be able to pay for it."Roy added that his concern would be finding out an enclosed car park required phone-only payment upon exit and struggling to pay, calling the idea "isolating".Ron Delnevo, chair of the Payment Choice Alliance (PCA), a campaign group lobbying against a move to cashless-only payment options, said that "people deserve a choice"."It's ludicrous that we're creating a two-tier society where people who want or need to use cash are being locked out of that society because we're only catering to people who have the means or the technical skills to use digital solutions."People are being horribly inconvenienced by having cashless imposed on them." The city council announced in February 2024 that it was moving to cashless on-street parking, in part to save the £60,000 per year spent on emptying payment parking made up 6% of parking income in York and more than 50 parking machines would have needed an upgrade at "significant cost" if cash payments remained, it said that following the public consultation, it was found that 90% of parking payments were made by card."We are aware that some still prefer to pay with cash. While most car parks will become cashless once the new payment machines are installed, Bootham Row car park and Castle car park will still accept cash," she under the revised Castle Gateway regeneration plans, due to be discussed by the council later this year, Castle car park could be set to close. If approved, the closure will not happen until at least 2026, and until that time cash payments will still be taken at the car park, according to the council."It's worth noting that even without a cash option, paying doesn't need to be complicated," Ravilious added."One swipe of a bank card is all that's required. And Pay By Phone is a secure system which importantly also allows payment by telephone or by sending a text message, as well as through its app, meaning a smartphone isn't required to pay."She said that available payment methods for council-run car parks were listed in its car parks directory. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Yahoo
Earlier and later times added to York Park and Ride bus network
Earlier and later buses have been added to York's Park and Ride timetable. Changes that took effect on Sunday (June 20) mean that services will now arrive in York city centre by 5.45am (7.45am on Sundays), and will depart from the city centre at 10.30pm (every day). This applies to services 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, and 59. Councillor Kate Ravilious, executive member for transport at City of York Council, said: "Whether you're catching an early morning train, finishing an overnight shift, or enjoying a night out in York, this expansion is part of our commitment to giving people more travel options and making York a cleaner, more affordable, and more sustainable city." First Bus has also increased frequency across the Park and Ride network. Until September 7, additional buses will operate on weekdays on all services, and also on Saturdays on routes 7 and 8. Normal timetables will run on Sundays. For more information, visit and
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Public responds as revised York parking charges come into force
Reduced parking charges have been rolled out across areas of York city centre, following public backlash at a previous 500% price hike. York Council has set the new pricing model at £3 per hour in car parks and residential areas outside the inner ring Ravilious, executive member for transport said while the council recognised the previous price increase was "too much in one go", it remained committed to tackling some people have expressed reservations about the new charges, including Bobby Paul, co-owner of Pextons Hardware on Bishopthorpe Road who said he worried "the damage was already done" in the community. "£3 is still arguably too much, and customers tell us so. I think it could do with being sub-£2 especially from the old 80p charge," he said."We've all seen a drop, and a fairly big drop [in business]. People who used to come here with their old shopping patterns have changed - but we'll see."In late April, car parking spots, including Micklegate and Bishopthorpe Road, saw prices rise by 500%, from 80p per hour to £ after an angry response from residents and traders, the council agreed to drop prices. Simon Kneafsey from M&K Butchers in Bishopthorpe Road said a balance had to be struck between encouraging the support of local high streets, without making rates attractive to people only visiting the city centre."Although not everyone will be happy with how much it's been reduced to, we've certainly done our best and I think that's a fair price for people who want to park and come shopping," he said."If it was cheaper than that, it might get abused by people who want to park there and wander off into town." Vicky Harris, manager of Millies Fruit & Veg, which backs onto the Bishopthorpe Road car park said the 35-space site had been noticeably emptier since the initial price hike."There's normally people queuing to get spaces - that's customers, that's clients. It's now about half full," she said."We all know that things go up but... it's just not enough, and I think it's created permanent lost custom because people aren't aware it's slightly come down." Using the car park to run errands, Fulford resident Josh echoed Ms Harris' sentiments, and said he had been able to find a space easily. "If it's designed to get people to not use the car, looks like it's working. It used to be busy in here and now it's nearly dead," he said."It's gone up a lot - I'm still paying it, but I'm not best pleased. They need to strike a medium I think." The council previously said April's hikes were needed to deal with traffic issues and to help balance council added that adjustments were made after the local authority had listened to the public's concerns."While we remain committed to tackling congestion and making it easier for everyone to get around, we recognise some of the uplift in charges in areas where they were previously very low has felt too much in one go," she said. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
City of York Council 'rules out' congestion charge
Congestion charges have been ruled out as a method of cutting city centre traffic in York, transport leaders Ravilious, City of York council's executive member for transport, said the measure was not among those being considered, though said "everything else is part of the toolbox".Speaking at Active City York 2025, Ravilious said other schemes being considered include the creation of a "Sustainable Transport Corridor" from York Station to Tower she said it was important to "get the framing right" after the recent backlash to increased parking charges in the city. Ravilious spoke to attendees at the event alongside Public Health Director Peter Roderick about the council's efforts to promote walking, cycling and public transport council's Local Transport Strategy, which is guiding the work, aims to cut car use in York by a fifth by 2030, according to the Local Democracy Reporting told the event plans to achieve the goal include the creation of a Sustainable Transport Corridor, to give buses priority along a route from York Station to Tower Street via the Ouse Bridge, over all but essential private car said the authority had also tried to use hikes in parking charges at council-run car parks to try and discourage car she acknowledged the reaction from residents, traders and opposition councillors highlighted the importance of taking people with them when enacting transport changes. "We raised parking charges to reduce congestion by making a family bus ticket cheaper than the first two hours," she said."But we didn't get the framing right and it's not gone down well, it's very difficult because it came as part of our budget so we couldn't do it with the positives."It's been very difficult and painful, it's been a lesson for us to have the carrot alongside the stick."We've ruled out a congestion charge for York, but everything else is part of the toolbox, parking is an important tool and we all have to address it." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
02-07-2025
- BBC News
York park and ride times to start earlier and finish later
Bus services to and from York's park and ride sites are set to start earlier and finish later, it has been Monday to Saturday, the first bus will leave the park and ride at 05:30 and the last bus back from the city centre will depart at 22: Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith said the new timetable, which is due to begin on 20 July, would benefit everyone from shift workers to visitors enjoying the city's extension is being funded by York's Bus Service Improvement Plan, supported by the Department for Transport. 'City has really changed' Currently, the first buses leave the sites at 07:00 from Monday to Saturday and return at about 20: mayor said he had been waiting for the hours to be extended for "so long"."We all see that York has really changed, we have a lot more offerings on an evening. "Speaking to so many customers and visitors to our city, who are having to leave concerts and restaurants early, having these extended hours will allow them to enjoy the city all year round," he added. Councillor Kate Ravilious, from City of York Council, added: "The six park and ride sites cover every corner of York and with up to three children traveling free with a paying adult, offers an excellent alternative to driving in to York. "They also make an invaluable contribution to reducing congestion across our city." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
