Harrogate district to get 20 new electric vehicle chargepoints

North Yorkshire is set to receive 140 new chargepoints for electric vehicles under a scheme announced today by the Department for Transport.

The county’s seven districts, including Harrogate, will each get 20 chargers.

The chargepoints will installed at on-street locations and at larger petrol-station charging hubs.

It is hoped the move will give drivers without home chargers more confidence to switch to electric, and reduce ‘range anxiety’ among existing electric vehicle users by helping to ensure motorists are never far from a chargepoint.

North Yorkshire County Council was awarded the funding today.

The council previously suggested that Markington, Pateley Bridge and Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough could receive new chargepoints in the Harrogate district. But it has yet to confirm the locations after today’s news.

Councillor Greg White, the council’s executive member for climate change, welcomed the funding. He said:

“The switch to electric vehicles is necessary as North Yorkshire moves towards becoming carbon zero, but the rural nature of the county presents some significant challenges.

“We worked hard to come up with an innovate scheme which will begin to provide the answers motorists need if they are to have the confidence to go electric.”

The chargers are part of the new Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme where the council and industry work in partnership.

Companies are putting £200,000 towards the scheme.

The council will install more electric chargers (photo: Andrew Roberts/Unsplash)

Harrogate currently has six public charging points – though the type and number of charging points varies between each station.

Knaresborough currently has two charging points whilst Ripon has four.

National plans

North Yorkshire is one of the first nine areas to receive funding.

A total of £20 million has been allocated for the pilot scheme nationally.

The government plans to eventually invest £450 million into the scheme nationwide.

It intends to grow the network of charging points around the country with more than 1,000 new charging stations set to be installed.

Decarbonisation minister Trudy Harrison said:

“We want to expand and grow our world-leading network of EV chargepoints, working closely with industry and local government, making it even easier for those without driveways to charge their electric vehicles and support the switch to cleaner travel.”

Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic update

Some roadworks in the Harrogate area may cause delays for motorists this morning.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Drivers should be aware of the usual rush hour traffic on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road this morning.

A road closure remains in place on Station Avenue in Harrogate as North Yorkshire County Council carries out resurfacing work.

According to the county council’s roadworks map, the closure will remain until Friday, August 26.

Motorists in Harrogate should also be aware of temporary traffic lights on Wetherby Road, which may cause delays during rush hour.

Yorkshire Water is carrying out work near to the Pavilions, which is due to finish on Friday.

The company is also carrying out repairs to a water pipe on North Street in Ripon which means the road is closed.

The closure is due to be in place until Friday.

Meanwhile, a road closure is in place on Oakdale in Harrogate until September 5 as Northern Gasworks carries out work in the area.

Meanwhile, lights remain on Ripon’s Clotherholme Road as Northern Gas Networks carries out replacement work to gas pipes in the area.

The lights will remain in place until September 5.

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 services this morning.

You can find out more on the disruption to services here.

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Harrogate man nears end of epic 800-mile walk

A Harrogate man is on the verge of completing an 800-mile trek in aide of dementia.

James Calvert is walking the mammoth hike from John o’Groats to Land’s End, which spans 812 miles.

He undertook the challenge in aide of Dementia UK and has so far raised £4,848.

He said:

“My grandma has dementia and therefore I understand and appreciate all help that dementia carers give.”

James expects to arrive at Land’s End tomorrow (August 25) after starting his campaign on July 14.

He has aimed to walk 25 miles a day, with his longest day being 46 miles.

He has been wild camping along the way and received support from complete strangers, including monetary donations and gifts of food and drinks to keep him going.

To donate to James’ cause, visit his JustGiving page here.

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Rachel Daly picked for England World Cup 2023 qualifier squad

Harrogate’s Rachel Daly has been called up to the England Lionesses’ squad ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.

Daly, who recently joined Aston Villa, is among the 23-player squad which will take on Austria and Luxembourg next month.

The Lionesses will be hoping to build on their Euro 2022 triumph by booking a place at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year.

England manager Sarina Wiegman said:

“It only feels like yesterday since we were celebrating at Wembley, but we have to get straight back to business. 

“We have a big target in front of us this month to book our place at the World Cup, and we have to set aside our amazing memories of this summer for the moment.”

Daly, who attended Saltergate and Rossett schools, has seen a lot of success on the pitch in the past few months.

After helping the Lionesses win the Euros at Wembley against Germany last month, she signed for Women’s Super League side Aston Villa from Houston Dash in the USA. She now has almost 300,000 followers on Instagram.

The 30-year-old said it was a big decision to move to Villa, but added that it was right to come home as “family is the most important thing”.

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Harrogate man jailed for knife and heroin offences

A Harrogate man has been jailed for carrying a kitchen knife in public and possessing heroin.

Nigel Green, of Fairfax Avenue, appeared before York Magistrates Court this week charged with both offences.

Green, 42, pleaded guilty to the charges.

He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison for carrying a kitchen knife on Fairfax Avenue after the court found it was his second conviction of the same charge.

The magistrates also jailed Green for four weeks for carrying a wrap of heroin on Roche Avenue. The time will be served concurrently with the first sentence.

He was also ordered to pay a victim’s surcharge of £128.

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Harrogate’s Old Bell gets holiday accommodation approval

Plans have been approved to convert the upper floors of a traditional Harrogate pub into holiday accommodation.

It will see the second, third and fourth floors above the Old Bell on Royal Parade changed to letting rooms.

The pub is owned by Market Town Taverns, part of Heron and Brearley (H&B) based on the Isle of Man.

The proposal, submitted by Darren Clibbens of H&B, will see the basement, ground and first floors of the building unchanged.

Harrogate Borough Council has given the go-ahead for the plan.

The upper levels of the building are currently vacant office space, according to the application, with one studio apartment on the top floor.

The council’s estates team, and parks and gardens team, have both responded to the application and have not raised any objection.

However, they have asked for consideration to be given to the storage of resulting trade waste on the site, and highlighted the fact that the area in front of the building, including the pavement, forms part of the Stray.

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Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic update

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

However, temporary lights and road closures in some parts of the district may cause delays this morning.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic roundup.

Roads

A road closure remains in place on Station Avenue in Harrogate as North Yorkshire County Council carries out resurfacing work.

According to the county council’s roadworks map, the closure will remain until Friday, August 26.

Motorists in Harrogate should also be aware of temporary traffic lights on Wetherby Road, which may cause delays during rush hour.

Yorkshire Water is carrying out work near to the Pavilions, which is due to finish on Friday.

Temporary lights have also been put in place by the company on Hookstone Drive until August 30.

Yorkshire Water is also carrying out repairs to a water pipe on North Street in Ripon which means the road is closed.

The closure is due to be in place until Friday.

Meanwhile, lights remain on Ripon’s Clotherholme Road as Northern Gas Networks carries out replacement work to gas pipes in the area.

The lights will remain in place until September 5.

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 the 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 7 and the 36 services this morning.

You can find out more on the disruption to services here.

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Council warns of ‘high risks’ as Kex Gill cost soars to £69m

County council officials today warned that the “burden of risk” for major projects, such as the realignment of the A59 at Kex Gill, will fall on the authority amid soaring inflation.

The cost of the scheme to build a diversion on the A59, near Blubberhouses, has increased to £68.8 million.

Senior North Yorkshire county councillors today approved a further £7.2 million to the project in order to cover the shortfall caused by a rise in inflation.

It takes the council’s contribution to the major highways project to £12.7 million after the Department for Transport capped its contribution at £56.1 million.

Gary Fielding, the council’s director for strategic resources, told councillors today that the reduction in funding from ministers combined with inflation soaring would leave high risk on the council for capital schemes such as Kex Gill.

He said:

“In terms of capital, you are seeing two things happening in general and I think it is right that members are aware of the risks.

“We have got allocations in government funding across the board actually reducing in quantum for the forthcoming period and in parallel with that we have got inflation rates taking off.

“So what you have actually got is a much reduced spending power going forward and a higher profile of risk based upon major schemes where the burden of risk will fall 100% with the council.”

A report before councillors today warned that any “unforeseen events” with the Kex Gill scheme which lead to increased cost would fall upon the authority.

Cllr Gareth Dadd, executive member for finance at the council, added:

“I wouldn’t say I’m pleased to be having to recommend a further £7.2 million to the Kex Gill project, but nonetheless it shows our commitment to major road improvement.”

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The project will see a diversion built west of Blubberhouses on the stretch of road, which has been blighted by a history of landslips. The A59 is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton.

Council officials expect work to start on the scheme next year and continue until 2025.

North Yorkshire County Council previously said it hoped the reroute would start in autumn last year and take 15 months.

Ahead of appointing a contractor for the scheme, a full business case will be submitted to the Department for Transport.

Plan to convert Harrogate guesthouse into holiday lets

Plans have been submitted to convert a Harrogate guesthouse into nine holiday lets.

The proposal has been submitted to Harrogate Borough Council by Leeds-based Maison Parfaite, which runs Shannon Court on Dragon Avenue.

It would see nine holiday apartments created, which include living and kitchen areas and bedrooms with en-suit bathrooms.

The developer, which also runs holiday properties in Pateley Bridge, said in documents submitted to the council that “the holiday industry is changing” and that visitors preferred “self-contained accommodation”.

It said:

“Although the proposal is for a change of use to a residential use, the proposal would be to provide nine holiday letting rooms which would enhance the tourist offer to the local economy. 

“The holiday industry is changing with visitors requiring an improved quality of accommodation and enjoy self contained accommodation rather than the communal dining facilities provided in the existing guest house.”

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

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Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic update

Drivers should be aware of temporary traffic lights on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road which may cause delays during rush hour this morning.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

In Harrogate, a road closure is expected to be put in place on Station Avenue as North Yorkshire County Council carries out resurfacing work.

According to the county council’s roadworks map, the closure will be in place until Friday, August 26.

Motorists in Harrogate should also be aware of temporary traffic lights on Wetherby Road, which may cause delays during rush hour.

Yorkshire Water is carry out work near to the Pavilions, which is due to finish on Friday.

The company is also carrying out repairs to a burst water pipe on North Street in Ripon which means the road is closed.

The closure is due to be in place until Friday.

Meanwhile, lights remain on Ripon’s Clotherholme Road as Northern Gas Networks carries out replacement work to gas pipes in the area.

The lights will remain in place until September 5.

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 services this morning.

You can find out more on the disruption to services here.

Read more: