Church considers safety works amid concerns cyclists could be impaled on railing spikes next to cycle path

A church in York has made a renewed appeal with the council to allow them to modify spikes on railings at the front of the building that sit right next to a shared-use path, prompting safety concerns that a cyclist could be injured.

Planning documents available on City of York Council's website note that the Grade II listed Church of England parish church, originally constructed in 1866, has railings "in very poor condition" above a boundary wall with spikes "which potentially pose a risk to people on the adjoining cycleway which runs alongside the A19".

The shared-use path is popular with local primary and secondary schools and a member of the public originally reported the potential danger the spikes, at a height of 40 and 72cm, could pose in the case of an accident.

The church previously sought safety advice from health and safety service EurosafeUK and having heard recommendations decided to apply for planning permission to address the spikes' risk to cyclists that could see people "fall off their bikes onto the railings and impale themselves".

This initial planning application was made in October 2018, but the council rejected the proposal to remove "the top spikes and truncating and rounding-off the lower spikes" on the grounds that the work would harm the "aesthetic value" of the railings and their "historic value".

The council stated at the time: "It is considered that the proposed works to the railings, by altering the original design element, would result in harm to the aesthetic value of the railings and the loss of their historic value. As such, it is considered that the proposed works harm the significance of the designated heritage asset and there is no evidence of additional public benefit that has been brought forward in order to balance and justify the degree of harm that has been identified."

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However, significantly, the council's planning officers came to a decision without consulting colleagues from the highways department, that despite public safety on cycleways being the "responsibility of the Highway Authority". 

Now, five years on, City of York Council's Head of Highway Access and Development, Helene Vergereau, has argued that "the safety of highway users is relevant here" as the path in front of the railings is a shared-use cycling and walking route.

The latest application is ongoing, documents on the council's website showing that the church has now proposed to remove and repair the railings, with 30mm iron balls to be welded to the tips of the upper spikes and 20mm balls to the lower spikes.

"This will allow the railings to retain their existing form whilst ensuring public safety," the proposal suggests.

Questioning the council's previous assertion that the railings have "historic and aesthetic value" as part of a Grade II listed building, the report also states that the "listing description makes clear that the main interest of the Grade II structure is the interior and exterior of the church building which would be wholly unaffected by the proposed works". 

"There is no mention in the listing of the front wall or railings," it adds.

"The proposed works would have major public benefits by removing the risk of catastrophic injury to passing cyclists. The risk may be small but the consequences would be very serious.

"The works overall would improve the appearance of the listed Victorian church and the conservation area. Even if a different view is taken, the harm would be very minor and outweighed by the significant public benefits." 

Earlier this month we reported that the vicar of a church in Altrincham, Greater Manchester had claimed the very existence of the 170-year-old institution had been put in doubt by the construction of a new walking and cycling lane outside its car park. 

Reverend Murray said that many of his congregation had already been put off attending services since the cycle lane was installed, which now requires parishioners and churchgoers driving to services to drive down a slightly longer one-way system, and he concluded that he fears his historic church could close unless the local council reconsiders the plans.