Christmas parking rules could be made permanent

A seasonal parking ban in place during a York shopping centre's annual Winter Wonderland event could be enforced year-round.

Double yellow lines would be painted along a stretch of Naburn Lane and in St Nicholas Avenue leading to the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, with the centre covering the costs.

A City of York Council report recommended making the Christmas restrictions permanent to help tackle parking on verges and footpaths.

However, the outlet said restrictions along the whole length of St Nicholas Avenue would remove parking spots used as a last resort during extreme congestion.

"No waiting at any time" restrictions would be in place on Naburn Lane from just after the junction with Fulford Court to just before the Yorkshire Water treatment plant.

Restrictions would be in place on both sides of the road, except on one side on the stretch of Naburn Lane in front of homes.

Double yellow lines would be painted along both the outer sides of St Nicholas Avenue and those closest to the central reservation.

They would be in place from the A19 Fulford Interchange up to and including the roundabout in front of the designer outlet's car park.

A council report said the restrictions would "improve the safety of the area".

"The implementation of the proposed restriction will help reduce the potential impact of damage to the kerb edge from vehicles driving up the full-height kerb to park on the grass verge adjacent to the carriageway."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the outlet stated that while something needed to be done to tackle the issue and it supported plans for Naburn Lane, there were concerns about St Nicholas Avenue.

"During November and December in 2025 the council agreed to prioritise placing parking restriction cones on the central reservation, the roundabout (island) and also the junctions and their approaches," a spokesperson said.

"The shared view at the time was to focus on the areas that posed the greatest risk to safety and to minimise any potential traffic obstructions."

The outlet said it had been agreed not to cone the main length of St Nicholas Avenue at that time.

It also said the council had rejected its plans last year for an overflow car park during the festive period.

"Whilst not encouraged, it did give a last-resort option for road users to park when all other parking options were exhausted."

It said the centre needed further discussions with the council on the issue.

The restrictions will be discussed by councillors on 22 September.

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