THE YORK BRIEF ⏰Monday, February 9, 2026

🌤️ Morning, York! Hope you survived the weekend because Mondays come out swinging. York City's unbeaten run hit 19 games, 1,500 vintage hunters descended on the Railway Institute, and St Mary's is about to become a film set for the week. From parking wars to maternity care plans, here's everything that matters in our city this Monday – no fluff, just what you need to know before your morning brew goes cold.

🚂 TRANSPORT

🚧 York-Harrogate Rail Line Reopens After Wall Collapse; All rail lines between York and Harrogate were blocked yesterday evening after a wall collapsed into the River Nidd under Knaresborough Viaduct. Network Rail engineers conducted urgent safety checks on the viaduct pillar before reopening the lines, though delays of up to 30 minutes continued into the evening.

🗺️ York Firm Launches Interactive Parking Map; Flexed, a Wigginton Road-based car subscription provider, has released an interactive map pinpointing the best places to park across York. The tool highlights 13 car parks with details on spaces, disabled bays, motorcycle parking, and permit availability – arriving just as council car park prices are set to rise again this year.

🎬 St Mary's Closed for Filming This Week; St Mary's will be closed to traffic from today (Monday 9 February) through Friday 13 February for filming works. Pedestrians and vehicles will only be stopped during individual takes and allowed through between shots, with diversions signed via St Mary's Lane.

🅿️ Transport boss objects to plan to reopen York car park; The owners of the former Sainsbury's at Foss Bank want to reopen the car park – but the council's transport lead has objected. Foss Argo Developments Ltd needs a certificate proving the car park was in general public use, not just for Sainsbury's shoppers. The site's earmarked for student accommodation, around 175 flats and commercial space.

🚨 CRIME

🏇 Police Stop Illegal Horse Cart Racing on A168; North Yorkshire Police prevented an illegal horse cart racing event on Saturday on the A168 between Dishforth and Boroughbridge. Officers maintained a large police presence and dispersed participants who attempted racing further down the road towards Wetherby. Police are urging residents to report any future planned racing events. (YorkMix)

👮 Police Target Anti-Social Behaviour on Tadcaster Bus Route; Neighbourhood policing officers completed a targeted operation on Friday evening (7 February) between Tadcaster and Leeds to tackle anti-social behaviour on the bus network. Officers provided an obvious presence, engaging with bus staff, passengers and local agencies to gather intelligence and take action against those causing disruption.

🏛️ POLITICS

💷 Council Leader Calls £500K Tribunal Claims "Completely Irresponsible"; York's council leader has condemned opposition claims that the authority faces a £500k bill following an employment tribunal. The council was ordered to pay £10,500 to former corporate director Neil Ferris for failing to offer suitable alternative employment during redundancy. Liberal Democrat deputy leader Cllr Paula Widdowson estimates total costs including legal fees and pension liabilities could reach half a million, but Labour council leader Cllr Claire Douglas says the claims are "false, speculative and inaccurate." The council is considering an appeal.

Cllr Douglas said: “It is completely irresponsible of Cllr Widdowson to put out false, speculative and inaccurate information. The Labour council administration will always defend local taxpayers’ interests and will comment further when this legal process has concluded.”

🔶 Lib Dem Spring Conference Agenda Published for York Event; York will host the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference from 13-15 March at the Barbican Centre, with the full agenda and directory now published. The Federal Conference Committee received 28 policy motions and has scheduled 7 for debate plus one late-deadline motion, alongside constitutional amendments and party awards. (Mark Pack)

💰 Council Tax Rises Confirmed for Police and Fire Services; North Yorkshire residents will see council tax increases for both police and fire services in 2026/27. Mayor David Skaith has proposed a £15 annual rise for policing (Band D properties) and previously approved a £24 increase for fire services – a 28.9% jump addressing years of under-investment. The overall North Yorkshire Council Band D charge is set at £1,939.54, up 4.99% from last year. ( York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority)

🎓 STUDENT LIFE

📊 UK Growth "At Risk" Without More Graduates, Warns York Research; The University of York has co-authored research warning Britain's economic ambitions could falter without a substantially larger graduate pipeline. The study finds 80% of roles critical to the government's Industrial Strategy require degree-level qualifications, with AI potentially adding £490bn to the economy by 2030 – but only with sufficient skilled graduates. Joan Concannon, Chief Reputation Officer at York, says the findings shift the conversation to "What does the UK need from a future-fit Higher Education sector?"

🎨 ARTS & CULTURE

🎨 Unusual Labyrinth Art Created Near Malton Tea Rooms; A unique finger labyrinth has been painted on a fence near Yorkshire Tea Rooms in Malton's St Leonard's Lane. Artist Peter created "The Fork and Spoon" design, inspired by the 270 finger labyrinths on the London Underground network, with permission from tea room owner Tracy Cuthbertson. The painted labyrinth complements pedestrian movement along the lane, which can feel like an underground passage on dark winter days.

🖼️ Goole Museum Announces Bicentenary Open Art Exhibition; Goole Museum's 12th annual Open Art exhibition opens on 21 March as part of the town's 200th birthday celebrations. Artists working in all mediums – painting, illustration, sculpture, textiles and digital art – are invited to submit work, with entries inspired by Goole's heritage as a purpose-built port town especially encouraged. Submissions can be dropped off 3-14 March, with the exhibition running until 16 May.

🛍️ WHAT'S ON

🎪 Big York Flea Draws 1,500 to Railway Institute; The Big York Flea sold-out market brought over 60 vintage traders to the Railway Institute yesterday (Saturday 8 February), with around 1,500 visitors browsing everything from retro fashion to mid-century furniture. Organiser Judy Berger says York continues to be one of their most successful locations after 15 years, with the city's audience "wonderfully varied" from day trippers to long-standing regulars.

🏥 HEALTH

👶 New Personalised Maternity Care Plans Launched; York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has launched a new personalised maternity care plan developed in partnership with service users. The plan covers the entirety of pregnancy, providing guidance at each stage and helping women document their preferences and priorities. Director of Midwifery Sascha Wells-Munro OBE says it's designed to "empower families to make informed decisions while supporting teams to deliver person-centred care."

⚽ SPORT

🟢 Boateng Pleased as York City Extend Unbeaten Run; York City midfielder Hiram Boateng praised his team's resilience after Saturday's 2-1 victory over Forest Green Rovers extended the Minstermen's unbeaten run to 19 games. Goals from Alex Hunt and Ollie Pearce secured three points despite a late Forest Green fightback. Boateng, who's scored in recent wins over Sutton and Braintree, said the team showed quality in standing up to the physical challenge. City remain second, two points behind leaders Rochdale with two games in hand. (York City FC)

👥 COMMUNITY

📰 Cambridge Student Politics References York Protest; A Varsity opinion piece on Cambridge University Conservative Association notes that when controversial Reform advisor Jack Anderton spoke at a CUCA event, his previous appearance in York saw "hundreds of students turn up to protest" in November 2025. The article discusses declining turnout at university Conservative societies as students increasingly favour Reform UK groups.