Community pitches in to clear alley and beat crime

4:32pm Monday 4th February 2008

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POLICE have teamed up with residents and community safety chiefs to give an area of York a new lease of life.

Ward councillors and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) were among the people who joined forces to make Hambleton Terrace, near Haxby Road, a safer place, after they noticed an increase in the amount of car crime and burglaries.

PCSO Julie White said: "In about May last year, it was brought to our attention that Hambleton Terrace was suffering from a large amount of car crime and burglary of dwellings.

"It seemed to us that the cycle track that runs along side the street was providing an ideal escape route for people committing these crimes.

"We decided to seek the views of the residents and after a lot of planning, a residents' meeting was held on August 28."

The meeting was attended by PCSO White and her colleague Gill Kitson, Inspector Mark Khan, Coun Helen Douglas, City of York Council's cycling officer Andy Vose, a representative from sustainable transport charity Sustrans, and about 25 residents.

PCSO White added: "It was decided that the foliage along the street and the cycle track was overgrown, making the street appear very dark and sinister, the street lighting needed upgrading and a regular rota of residents should be drawn up to ensure that the gates to the track were opened and locked at certain times."

As a result, Tony Castle, of Castle Tree Surgeons, spent Saturday cutting the large trees back free of charge.

On Sunday, the PCSOs and their colleagues from the Clifton Safer Neighbourhood Policing team, Sustrans, and a team of local residents, trimmed and tidied up the rest of the foliage along the track and street. The lighting was also upgraded by City of York Council over the weekend and the mobile police station was there on both days.

A lunch was provided by Goodfillas in Haxby Road for those taking part, with money donated from Safer York Partnership.

Lynne Clark, local volunteer ranger for Sustrans, said: "It's really great to be working with local residents, police and agencies together to improve and enhance the path. This is hopefully just the first step in a fruitful partnership that will upgrade the path and make it a real asset to the local community."

Safer York Partnership director Jane Mowat said: "This is an excellent example of the community working with agencies to tackle a problem in their neighbourhood."

City of York Council closed the road on Saturday to enable the tree work to be carried out.