The City of York Council is considering a proposal to introduce a weekly rest day for the city’s Christmas market, a move intended to restore vehicle access for residents during the festive period. If approved at an executive meeting on 14 April 2026, Tuesdays will become a day where the city centre operates on a business-as-usual basis, allowing Blue Badge holders to drive through security barriers to reach shops and banks.
The proposal follows significant public feedback regarding traffic restrictions in place during the 2025 Christmas market. At that time, strict security measures barred almost all vehicles, including those used by disabled residents, from city centre streets between 10:00 and 19:00. These restrictions were initially requested by North Yorkshire Police, who cited the need to protect the public from potential vehicle-based attacks.
Council deputy leader Councillor Pete Kilbane acknowledged that many residents felt isolated from the city centre under the previous rules. The council is now exploring this six-day market model as a trial for 2026 to better balance safety requirements with the need for accessibility. The future of this arrangement for 2027 and beyond will be decided after an evaluation of this year’s trial.
In addition to the proposed rest day, the council is looking into further accessibility improvements. These include increasing the number of Blue Badge parking spaces, enhancing bus accessibility, and providing more benches and dedicated quiet areas for visitors.
While these discussions are underway, the council is also conducting an eight-week consultation process regarding a recommendation from the police to make the current vehicle restrictions a permanent feature of city events. This separate, ongoing consultation began on 18 March 2026.
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