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Streets, roads and pavements

City centre access for vehicles

Find out more about ways to access the city centre including:


Vehicle restrictions are in place, including bollard controlled access to the following streets during footstreet hours:

  • Parliament Street
  • St Sampson’s Square
  • High Ousegate
  • Spurriergate
  • Coney Street
  • Davygate
  • Finkle Street
  • Church Street
  • Jubbergate

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City centre access and parking for those with mobility issues

To ensure access to the city centre for those with mobility issues, where vehicle restrictions are in place:

  • parking in all council car parks any bay (including disabled bays) is free of charge, with no time limit for blue badge holders
  • there are 19 disabled parking bays available at Monk Bar car park, off Lord Mayor’s Walk
  • there are 9 disabled parking bays available at Bootham Row car park, off Bootham
  • using on-street 'pay and display' bays, is free of charge with no time limit (the 3 hour limit applies if parking restrictions apply during the day)
  • any residents' priority parking scheme zones, are free of charge with no time limit
  • parking on double and single yellow lines where loading restrictions aren’t in place, where it is safe to do so and not causing an obstruction, is free of charge, for up to 3 hours
  • access to St Sampson’s Square for Dial & Ride services is available
  • the use of Piccadilly taxi rank for blue badge parking during the day, from 10.00am to 6.00pm is allowed
  • we're promoting services like Shopmobility (located at Coppergate Centre car park) and Dial & Ride

Get more information about city centre disabled access and facilities (including routes between Changing Places and the nearest council-run car parks); find out about Blue Badge parking in York.

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City centre access for businesses and deliveries

To avoid congestion on the roads around the city centre, business owners must ensure deliveries are completed outside of footstreet hours.

Each day:

  • delivery vehicles must have left the footstreets area before 10.30am
  • delivery vehicles must not arrive until after 5.00pm

Any vehicles remaining in the Pedestrian Zone during footstreets hours could be delayed significantly due to restrictions.

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City centre access for residents

If you are a resident living in the city centre footstreets area, you should keep your vehicle outside the area if you need to make journeys during footstreets hours.

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Exceptions to access restrictions

There are a limited number of exceptions for exceptional circumstances, including access for:

  • emergency services
  • emergency utility works
  • vehicles being used in connection with medical requirements
  • Dial & Ride vehicles

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City Centre Access Background

Background and updates on the development of the City Centre Access scheme:

28 July 2022

The Executive made the decision to return the footstreets hours to 10.30am to 5.00pm and postpone the statutory consultation to permanently extend the footstreet hours to 7.00pm.

The decision to postpone this consultation aims to provide the opportunity to:

  • experience pavement cafés under a revised licensing guidance
  • wait for more clarity from the Government on the long-term legislative framework for pavement cafés
  • make further progress with the delivery of the City Centre Access Action Plan

See a summary of the decision made at the 28 July Executive meeting.

22 March 2022

A report was presented to the Executive Member for Transport that provides an update on the City Centre Access Action Plans that were agreed by the council's Executive on 18 November 2021. See a summary of the decisions made at the 22 March Executive meeting.

18 November 2021

The council’s Executive considered a number of reports that seek to shape a city centre which meets the social, economic and environmental needs of York, and its communities, and ensures we are able to protect all residents and visitors. See a summary of the decisions made at the 18 November Executive meeting.

After a period of engagement, the council has produced a draft vision based on 8 key themes; view the My City Centre York Vision.

September 2021

The ideas for the future of York city centre were put to residents in September 2021, with people having the chance to comment on the proposals to help us refine the vision.

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Also see

Traffic Management Team

West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA

Telephone: 01904 551550