Consultation launches on Rougier Route – a better way through York
Proposals to install a new bus priority route through central York have been unveiled today with a focus on making bus journeys more reliable, cutting bus journey times and creating a more people-focused environment in the heart of the city.
Residents, businesses, visitors and commuters are encouraged to share their views in an eight-week consultation which sets out how the Rougier Route could work, how it responds to resident, business and visitor needs, and the anticipated benefits and impacts. Today marks the start of Phase 1 of a public consultation programme which will run to Monday 12 January 2026.
The Rougier Route is in direct response to requests from residents and businesses to offer swifter and more reliable bus travel across York as the city grows. In 2024, the council held a major public consultation on transport to help us create the new Local Transport Strategy. In that consultation:
- 79% of people told us they would or maybe would “use buses more often if we introduced dedicated priority routes for buses and sustainable transport”
- 72% of people agreed or agreed strongly when asked “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the introduction of dedicated priority routes for buses and sustainable transport?” and
- 88% supported “improving public transport”.
The Rougier Route has been chosen as it serves over a thousand buses a day on 29 bus routes – more than half of all bus services in York – some of which are currently timetabled to travel as slowly as 3.4mph – to accommodate the severe congestion in the city centre.
Proposals have been worked up following a series of stakeholder briefings, including with businesses along the directly affected streets. The scheme also offers potential to refresh the pavements and surfaces along the route, including giving cyclists and pedestrians a safer and more spacious environment; improvements to bus shelter waiting areas, additional Blue Badge parking bays and creating spaces which attract more footfall for local businesses.
City of York Council has produced a film to help explain the reasons behind the project, and how it could work.
Councillor Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport at City of York Council, said: “We’ve listened to residents’ frustration at the impacts of congestion and will tackle it head on. A thousand buses a day use the Rougier Route, meaning these changes could improve the journeys of tens of thousands of passengers every day.
“This fully funded project is a real opportunity to deliver a more reliable, safer, route through York for bus passengers, pedestrians and cyclists. It gives an opportunity to improve bus reliability and creates a vital pedestrian-friendly link from the city centre footstreets through to Micklegate with its wealth of shops and businesses. Faster, more reliable bus travel will enable more people to choose to travel by bus, reducing the volume of traffic on our roads and freeing up space for those who do need to drive.
“Our proposed option is for buses, cycles and emergency vehicles only to be allowed to travel thought the bus lane and gate. Drivers who need to access the area will still be able to drive in and park in existing parking spaces, but won’t be able to use the road as a through route. We are consulting on a range of important issues within the project, including whether taxis should also use the route, and its hours of operation. To prevent rat-running and create place-making opportunities, we are also proposing changes to some roads in Bishophill and Micklegate. Our consultation will run for six weeks and includes outreach, an online survey and drop-in sessions and I’d really encourage everyone from across York and the wider region to take part”.
Minister for Roads and Buses, Simon Lightwood, said: “Better buses are around the corner with this government. I am delighted to see City of York Council looking into these exciting proposals for the Rougier Route, supported by this government’s vital £2.2 million funding.
“This could potentially transform travel through the city centre by creating faster and more reliable routes for residents, businesses and tourists to help create strong local growth – a key part of our Plan for Change.
“This follows our Bus Services Act becoming law, finally putting power over bus services into the hands of local leaders to meet the needs of their communities.”
Keith McNally, Chair of York’s Enhanced Partnership and Operations Director of the CPT said; “It’s a fact that faster and more reliable buses have two major benefits – encouraging more people to use buses and reducing operator costs. This in turn enables further improvements in services, which encourage even more people to use the bus – a virtuous circle of growth. City of York Council has successfully worked in partnership with bus operators over many years, but these proposals represent one of the most important changes ever in support of the bus network.
“The bus fleet has been drastically upgraded in recent years, and both the Council and operators have made a whole series of other improvements. However, increased congestion and rising costs have posed real challenges. I believe these proposals will make a real difference for bus users in the city.”
The public consultation runs from 19 November to 12 January 2026 and can be accessed online via ourbigconversation.york.gov.uk. A dedicated email is also available for comments, and a freepost address for people to send in comments. The council is also holding a series of events where you can drop in and meet the team to discuss the proposals:
Thursday 27 November at Middletons Hotel, Skeldergate, York, YO1 6DU
- from 2pm to 7pm
- Blue Badge parking available on Cromwell Road
Saturday 29 November at Middletons Hotel, Skeldergate, York, YO1 6DU
- from 11.30am to 2.15pm
- Blue Badge parking available on Cromwell Road
Wednesday 3 December at York Explore Library, Library Square, Museum St, York YO1 7DS
- from 5.45pm to 7.15pm
- Multiple buses serve York Explore. See itravelyork.info for more details
- There are Blue Badge parking spaces at the library
All comments received as a result of Phase 1 of the consultation will be analysed, before reporting to Council’s Executive. In Summer 2026 the council would then implement the scheme for a trial 18-month period under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), which also acts as Phase 2 of the consultation, and means minor amends can be made to the project if needed.
The project is fully funded by York’s BSIP programme.