Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic roundup

Traffic is moving as normal through the Harrogate district this morning.

However, a road closure will be in place in Harrogate today as resurfacing work continues.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Motorists should be aware of a road closure on Claro Road in Harrogate today as North Yorkshire County Council continues resurfacing work in the area.

As previously reported, work in the area is expected to continue until August 9. Resurfacing will also be carried out on Devonshire Place and Coach Road during that time.

Northern Gas is also continuing work on Harrogate’s Grove Road where temporary lights will be in place until August 5.

Temporary lights are also on Ripon’s Clotherholme Road are still in place as Northern Gas Networks carries out replacement work to gas pipes in the area.

The lights will remain in place for seven weeks.

Meanwhile, long term roadworks are in place on Station Road in Goldsborough. The road will be closed until September 19, 2022, as Stonebridge Homes installs a foul water and surface water pipes to connect to the sewer system.

A diversion route is in place in the village.

Trains and buses

Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting no cancellations on its morning services.

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‘Play like the star you are’: Harrogate gets behind Rachel Daly ahead of Euro final

Harrogate has thrown its support behind Rachel Daly ahead of England’s Euro final against Germany on Sunday.

Daly, who went to Saltergate and Rossett schools in Harrogate, will be among the squad which walks out on the hallowed turf at Wembley in front of a sellout crowd.

The Lionesses have captured the hearts of a nation during the tournament, which has seen late goals and thrashings of the likes of Norway.

Ahead of the semi-final against Spain, Mike Sweetman, who coached Daly at Rossett, told the Stray Ferret he was not surprised at her success.

“I’m not surprised she has had more than 50 caps for England.

“In all my years teaching I had not seen a better female player, saying that, she struggled with a bad knee at school and you definitely need a lot of luck along with talent to cement your place in an England team.”

‘Play like the star you are’

Now, Daly has the chance to make history and help lead England to their first Euro trophy.

Ahead of the seismic tie against Germany at 5pm on Sunday, the Stray Ferret asked our readers on social media what message they had for Daly as she prepares for the big game.

Jean Daly said:

“Play like the star you are – my lovely granddaughter.”

Lorraine Simcock said:

“Whatever the outcome, we are so proud of you all, you have done so much to inspire the younger generation and to promote women’s football. Good luck and best wishes.”

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George Miller added:

“Smash it up in the final this Sunday, we’re all cheering you on.”

Deborah Risdon said:

“Good luck we are behind you all and most important enjoy the moment.”

Tracy Atkinson said:

“Wishing you all the very best for the final, your dad will be so proud of you and he’ll be watching over you on Sunday.”

Residents criticise key Harrogate planning document as ‘incoherent’

A residents group has criticised a key council planning document for the West of Harrogate as lacking detail and “incoherent”.

The West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy was due for completion in May – but Harrogate Borough Council has now said it expects it to be published before the end of the year.

It forms part of the wider proposals for the area and builds upon the West Harrogate Parameters Plan, which sets out how the area’s infrastructure and services will cope with 4,000 new homes.

Residents said they were disappointed after a meeting earlier this month over some of the proposals in the delivery strategy.

The Western Arc Coordination Group brings together organisations including Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association, Duchy Residents’ Association, Hampsthwaite Action Group, Zero Carbon Harrogate, Harrogate District Cycle Action and Pannal & Burn Bridge Parish Council.

After the meeting with the council, the group said:

“On the day, we were asked to provide comments on a document that only consisted of a series of diagrams in relation to a number of road junctions without any supporting data. The whole of this work came over as incoherent and lacking any real structure.

“After more than two years we would have expected far more detail than we were presented with and we still have real concerns that the end result of all this time (more than two years) and work will not bring about any significant improvements to overall infrastructure or tackle the existing, and increasing, traffic problems. At the very least we would have expected clear statements on why this work is being done and what it will achieve.

“Our argument has always been that the end result of all the West Harrogate Parameters Plan (WHPP) and associated works should be a series of mitigations that prevents the overall infrastructure problems from getting any worse, and preferably should also help overcome some of the existing problems.”

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West Harrogate was identified for major expansion during the creation of the district’s Local Plan when a government inspector ordered the parameters plan to be made.

Once complete, both the delivery strategy and parameters plan will be used together to shape decisions on how west Harrogate will cope with 2,500 new homes – although as many as 4,000 properties are set to be built in the wider area by 2035.

A borough council spokesperson said the meeting was held to help design the strategy and further consultation will take place with residents groups later in the year.

In response to the concerns, they said:

“The West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy (WHIDS) document – that is designed to help the long term co-ordination of infrastructure across the West Harrogate sites – will be signed-off later in the year.

“The information sessions recently held are helping shape this document, along with the support and guidance from technical officers and our appointed consultants.

“There will be further targeted engagement with stakeholders later in the year before the documents are signed off.

“This engagement, will also help inform other working draft documents such as the cumulative transport strategy, which will be subject to public consultation before any decisions are made on live planning applications in West Harrogate.”

Harrogate Town to kick off third Football League season

Harrogate Town are set to kick off their third season in the Football League this afternoon.

Town will take on Swindon Town at the EnviroVent Stadium at 3pm.

Simon Weaver’s men will be hoping to consolidate their position in the EFL League Two and build upon last season’s 19th place finish.

Speaking ahead of the opening day, Weaver said pre-season had gone well for Town.

He said:

“It’s been a positive pre-season, as tough as we have ever given the lads to be honest both in the physical workloads and the games and the opposition they have had to face.

“When you take into consideration quite wholesale changes to the squad, it’s been quite challenging. But I think the last three performances have been positive and the results have suggested an upward curve as well.”

Wholesale changes

Town have made 10 new signings during the summer transfer window so far and seen 11 players leave the club.

Among the new arrivals is Tyler Frost, who signed a six-month deal this week and will be available for the Swindon clash.

Weaver said the squad needed to improve defensively on last season.

He said:

“We were reflecting on last season and there was no getting away from that defensively we weren’t good enough.

“We looked at how we could revamp it individually. First of all, we started with the shape and looked at the shape of our team and then looked at the players – round pegs for round holes – and then fitted the players for each of those positions we needed to sort out.

“There’s more youth about us as a squad, but also at the same time it has been more challenging bringing in more pedigree as well which is necessary. We looked at little bit raw for the level at times last year.

“But hopefully there is more flexibility within our squad now to be able to tweak and change when necessary, even within games. But overall we’re happy with the recruitment.”

Tough opening game

Town will take on last season’s play-off semi-finalists Swindon Town for their opening game.

Rory McArdle will miss the game with an injury sustained at the end of last season.

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Meanwhile, skipper Josh Falkingham also misses the game through injury, but is closer to a return to action.

New signing Max Wright will also miss out with an ankle injury which will keep him out for four months.

Weaver described the clash against Swindon as a big game for the opening match.

He said:

“They don’t get much bigger do they? They reached the play off semi-final stage last season and they’re a strong outfit, aren’t they?

“Historically, they’ve played at the top level and they’ve got some good quality players and it will be a test.

“This week, we’ve just tried to inform the lads of what to expect in terms of their style of play and how they like to keep the ball and get into key areas.”

Harrogate-based care provider receives top inspection ratings

A Harrogate-based care provider has had all three of branches rated “outstanding” by health inspectors.

The Care Quality Commission gave the highest rating for Carefound Home Care and described it as “being a role model to other services”. 

The care provider was founded in Harrogate in 2011 by Oliver Stirk and has branches in Bishop Thornton, Nottingham and Cheshire.

It currently employs more than 130 people.

Oliver Stirk, Managing Director of Carefound Home Care, said:

“It’s an incredible achievement for all of our branches to be rated Outstanding by the CQC and makes us unique in the UK.

“We are so proud of the brilliant people we employ across our teams and this recognition is testament to their compassion, hard work and dedication.”

The company is set to expand its branches to York with a new branch and is also investing in development of the service including in areas such as staff development, digital health monitoring and complex care.

Mr Stirk added:

“We’re incredibly excited as we continue to invest in growing and improving our service at Carefound Home Care, so that we can enable more older people to live a better quality of life at home.”

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Leisure company defends reducing adult swim sessions at Knaresborough Pool

Brimhams Active has defended a decision to reduce adult only swim sessions at Knaresborough pool during the school holidays.

The company, which operates Harrogate Borough Council’s leisure facilities, sets the timetables for sessions at the pool on King James Road.

One residents told the Stray Ferret that she was disappointed that some of adult only sessions on a Tuesday and Friday had been cancelled.

She said:

“I am very disappointed that both the Tuesday and Friday one hour 9-10am swims for ‘adults only’ have been cancelled during the school holidays. 

“In the past, the Tuesday session has been kept and this was accepted, but both being removed is particularly unfair for the elderly who do not wish to (or feel unable to) swim when there are boisterous children in the pool.”

A spokesperson for Brimhams Active said the change in the timetable was temporary and that the pool sees more demand during the holidays.

They said:

“Brimhams Active is committed to delivering a comprehensive and inclusive pool programme at all of our venues. We endeavour to provide opportunities for all Harrogate residents to enjoy our facilities throughout the year. Our programmes are subject to change and are often amended to reflect seasonal demand.

“Throughout the school holiday period, Brimhams Active aims to provide additional swimming lesson opportunities for the children of our district in order to support improved attainment levels.

“This additional opportunity for children, forms a fundamental aspect of our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our local communities and our duty to support education around water safety and confidence in water.

“While this temporary change in our programming has a short term impact on our standard (term time) timetables, alternative adults only sessions are available alongside several opportunities for lane swimming throughout the day”

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Two men arrested after police pursuit in Ripon

Two men has been arrested following a police pursuit through Ripon.

Officers pursued a black 4×4 Hyundai after it failed to stop on Marshall Way in the city at 11.30pm last night.

The car stopped after a short pursuit and officers arrested one man, but several other men fled.

A North Yorkshire Police statement added that officers and specialist search teams, including the NPAS helicopter, remained in the area to locate the men.

Another man was arrested following a search of the area.

A police statement added:

“The Hyundai is suspected stolen and was seized by officers. A number of items were seized from the vehicle, as well as those which were thrown out during the pursuit, which are also suspected stolen property.

“A man in his 30’s was arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking, failing to stop and going equipped for burglary.

“A man in his 20’s was arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, failing to stop and going equipped for theft.

“Both men remain in police custody at this time.”

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Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic update

Traffic is moving as normal in the Harrogate district, but roadworks remain in place in some areas which could cause delays.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Drivers should expect the usual traffic on Wetherby Road and Skipton Road this morning during the rush hour.

Motorists should be aware of a road closure on Claro Road in Harrogate on Monday as North Yorkshire County Council continues resurfacing work in the area.

As previously reported, work in the area is expected to continue until August 9. Resurfacing will also be carried out on Devonshire Place and Coach Road during that time.

Temporary lights on Ripon’s Clotherholme Road are still in place as Northern Gas Networks carries out replacement work to gas pipes in the area.

The lights will remain in place for seven weeks.

Lights are also in place on Harrogate’s Grove Road for two weeks for gas works.

Meanwhile, long term roadworks are in place on Station Road in Goldsborough. The road will be closed until September 19, 2022, as Stonebridge Homes installs a foul water and surface water pipes to connect to the sewer system.

A diversion route is in place in the village.

Trains and buses

Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting cancellations on its 1A, 7 and 36 services.

You can find out more on the service disruption here

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Councillors have ‘major concerns’ about plans to reduce Harrogate fire engines

Councillors said today they had “major concerns” about plans to reduce the number of night time fire engines in Harrogate to one.

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe defended her plans at a special meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee.

Ms Metcalfe, a Conservative, told the Liberal Democrat-controlled committee she would still consider a shake-up of Harrogate’s night time fire service even if she had “millions in reserves”.

Ms Metcalfe told the meeting the plans “were not cuts” but the right thing to do. She said:

“If they were cuts, they would have happened yesterday. We do have a balanced budget until 2026. Let’s be very clear on that.

“If I had millions of pounds worth in the bank of reserves, I would still be doing this. I would still be going out on consultation, because it is absolutely right that we identify our risk and where our risk is in the county and York and then put the right resources to cover that risk.”

Ms Metcalfe added that no fire stations were closing and no whole time firefighters were losing their jobs.

Her three-year plan for the fire service includes proposals on staff shift patterns, the number of fire engines operating at night and putting a greater emphasis on fire prevention.

Harrogate and Scarborough currently both have an emergency fire engine and a tactical response fire engine operating 24 hours a day.

Ms Metcalfe’s model proposes both stations have two emergency response vehicles during the day but only one at night. They would lose their tactical response engines altogether.

‘Race to the bottom’

Paul James, chair of the Fire Brigades Union in North Yorkshire, said the plan would leave Harrogate fire station in a “race to the bottom” on response times.

Mr James told the meeting the changes amounted to cuts and that Harrogate was an area of high risk due to its density.

He added that a cut in funding nationally “has dovetailed” with slow response times locally and criticised the lack of a response standard from the service.

Paul James, chair of the North Yorkshire Fire Brigades Union branch.

Paul James, chair of the North Yorkshire Fire Brigades Union branch, at today’s meeting.

Mr James said:

“Harrogate still requires two appliances during the night to cover serious fires, if positive outcomes are to be achieved.

“Under these proposals during the night time hours Ripon, Tadcaster, Malton, Northallerton and Selby will all have more fire engines than Harrogate.”

He added:

“We feel that the continuing avoidance of declaring a standard [response time] is the avoidance of transparency and accountability.

“These proposals will see Harrogate enter the response time race to the bottom that much of the rest of the county competes in.”

Dave Winspear, director of transformation at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, denied there was a “race to the bottom” on response times for Harrogate.

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Meanwhile, some councillors were critical of the proposals.

Cllr Robert Windass, a Conservative representing Boroughbridge who was a fire fighter in Leeds for 30 years, said he did not feel the figures on night time fires “were right”.

He added:

“I did 30 years in Leeds and the most fatalities and the most people we had to rescue was during the hours of night.

“Not during the day, we did get them, but the majority was at night time when people were asleep and when something went wrong such as children playing with matches and things like that.

“So I won’t dispute your figures, but I don’t think they are right.”

As part of its response to the plans, the committee agreed to express major concerns over night cover but welcomed investment in prevention work.

You can find out more about the proposed changes and take part in the consultation here.

Ripon teacher dies after falling on hike in Italian Dolomites

A schoolteacher from near Ripon has died after falling 100ft while hiking in the Italian Dolomites.

Louise Atkinson, 55, of North Stainley, reportedly found herself on a difficult route in the Rosengarten massif in northern Italy after taking a wrong turn.

Ms Atkinson, who was with her partner John Dickinson, had found herself at high altitude while hiking on Sunday.

A mountain rescue spokesman told the MailOnline that the couple ‘ended up on a more challenging route’ in the early afternoon after heading out on a hike.

They added that they had ‘turned back’ after realising they did not have the correct equipment to continue.

On the way back down, Ms Atkinson slipped and fell. She was pronounced dead when found by the authorities.

Tributes have been posted on social media to Ms Atkinson, who was a teacher at Roecliffe Church of England School near Boroughbridge and St Wilfrid’s Catholic School in Ripon.

One person posted:

“Heartbreaking news. This is so sad. She taught both our sons at Roecliffe. She was an amazing teacher and a lovely kind lady. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and pupils.”

Another said:

“Such sad news. My son loved her as a teacher and came home every Friday full of stories of what she taught him that day. Condolences to all her family and friends. RIP.”

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