Treacherous roads in Harrogate district after heavy snowfall

Heavy snowfall overnight has caused treacherous driving conditions on major roads in the Harrogate district this morning.

Many areas woke up to a blanket of snow and ice, causing severe problems, especially in rural areas.

The North Yorkshire Weather Updates social media page showed dire conditions in Boroughbridge, with heavy snow covering streets.

Video by Carly Gibson

The same page also reported large vehicles were struggling to get up the hill on the A59 at Kex Gill due to hazardous road conditions. However by 9am the road appeared to be clear.

North Yorkshire Police warned people to drive carefully due to conditions on the A61 between Ripon and Harrogate.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority, on which days it had gritted the roads since Christmas Day and what its policy is on deciding when to use gritters,

We had not received a response by the time of publication but the council has tweeted this morning that its gritting crews are on call 24 hours a day from October to April and are treating roads.

A similar tweet was posted on Christmas Day but nothing on travel since despite snow and flooding causing problems in the district.

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The Met Office issued a yellow warning for snow and ice yesterday and warned that up to four inches of snow could fall over the Pennines and North York Moors.

The outlook in the district looks set to improve throughout today with light cloud throughout the afternoon into the evening.

However, temperatures are forecast to drop below zero again overnight.

35 further coronavirus cases in Harrogate district

A further 35 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate District, according to latest Public Health England figures.

It takes the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 4,211.

The seven-day average rate of infection in the Harrogate district stands at 115 per 100,000 people.

However, it is still the lowest rate in North Yorkshire – while Hambleton is the highest at 242.

The England seven-day average stands at 356 per 100,000.

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Meanwhile, no further deaths from patients who tested positive for coronavirus have been confirmed at Harrogate District Hospital.

The total number of deaths remain at 106. This has not risen since December 10.

32 more coronavirus cases in Harrogate district today

A further 32 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed today as the Harrogate district heads into Christmas.

It takes the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 4,090.

The district still has the lowest seven-day average rate of infection in North Yorkshire, with 86 infections per 100,000 people.

The seven-day average for North Yorkshire is 142. It is 353 for England.

The R number, which refers to the rate at which the virus spreads in the community, has risen to 0.9 in the Harrogate district.

This means every 10 people infected will pass on the virus to nine people.

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North Yorkshire is in tier two, which means three households will be able to mix on December 25 only.

NHS bosses have said the Harrogate Nightingale hospital remains on standby amid fears over the spread of a new mutant strain of coronavirus.

Harrogate Nightingale remains ‘on standby’ amid new covid strain

NHS bosses have said once again that Harrogate’s Nightingale hospital remains on standby amid renewed questions about why sites are not being used to treat covid.

The emergence of a new mutant strain of coronavirus has raised questions about why the hospitals, which cost hundreds of millions to set up, are yet to be put to use.

The rapid rise in covid cases has prompted nearby York Hospital to build an additional intensive care unit.

Conservative MP John Redwood is among those calling for answers. He tweeted:

“Time for ministers and top NHS management to explain what increases in all types of capacity they have made, what they are doing on infection control and why they are not using the Nightingales.”

Lord Newby, the Liberal Democrats leader in the House of Lords, has said the Nightingale “simply does not have the staff available to allow it to operate safely” and called for Harrogate Borough Council to resume control of the building.

The 500-bed hospital at Harrogate Convention Centre was built in April and cost £27 million to set up, but has yet to treat a single covid patient.

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The Stray Ferret asked NHS England whether the hospital had plans for the hospital in the wake of the new mutant strain emerging.

A spokesperson said: 

“The NHS Nightingale Yorkshire and the Humber is on standby to care for patients should it be needed and has been operating a clinical imaging service since June to support local trusts in delivering diagnostic and surveillance CT scans, with more than 3,000 patients having now been seen at the clinic.”

Harrogate Borough Council is continuing to bill the NHS over £100,000 a month for gas, electricity and water at the Nightingale.

The council does not charge the NHS rent for the building. However, figures from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust show the venue, which opened in the early 1980s, incurs significant costs for utilities.

The Stray Ferret has requested interviews with the NHS about the Harrogate Nightingale on numerous occasions but so far has not received one.

 

Harrogate Town offer half season tickets for remainder of season

Harrogate Town are offering half season tickets to supporters for the remainder of the club’s fixtures.

Supporters can purchase a limited number of tickets for the remaining 14 home games, starting with the fixture against Carlisle United on December 29.

As the district is currently in tier two, fans can attend games at stadiums with reduced capacity. Town fans made the long awaited return to the Envirovent Stadium against Forest Green Rovers on December 5.

However, the club has said that if the tiers change, anyone who has bought a half season ticket will be entitled to a streaming pass for each home fixture.

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Adult half season tickets cost £175. Concessions cost £125 and under 18s are charged £30.

This option is for anyone who has not already purchased a 2020/21 season ticket deposit.

Standing tickets are available in both the EnviroVent and Car Park Terrace, though availability is extremely limited.

Supporters who have purchased a season ticket deposit and have been attending games will continue to receive an e-ticket for the upcoming fixtures.

26 more coronavirus cases as Harrogate remains in tier two

Another 26 coronavirus cases were confirmed in the Harrogate district as the area escaped tougher tier restrictions today.

The number takes the district’s total amount of cases since the start of the pandemic to 4,056, according to Public Health England data.

The district’s seven-day case average to December 20 has increased to 93 infections per 100,000 people but remains the lowest in the county.

The county wide average stands at 142 compared with the national rate of 341.

Ouseburn, Hammerton and Tockwith is the worst affected part of the district, with 20 infections recorded in the last seven days. Harrogate West and Pannal is the next highest, with 15.

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It comes as Matt Hancock, the health secretary, announced that more parts of England will be moved into tier four from Boxing Day.

Minsters discussed further restrictions today amid fears that a new variant of coronavirus is spreading.

However, North Yorkshire will remain in tier two.

Harrogate district escapes tier change in latest review

The Harrogate district is to remain in tier two as millions more people in England learned this afternoon they will be put under tougher restrictions on Boxing Day.

In a 3pm government coronavirus update, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that huge swathes of the country will be moved up tiers on December 26.

Essex, Norfolk, Sussex, Surrey, Oxfordshire and Hampshire will go into tier four.

Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Swindon, Isle of Wight, New Forest, Northamptonshire, Cheshire and Warrington will enter tier three restrictions.

And Cornwall and Herefordshire will move into tier two,

Minsters discussed further restrictions today amid fears that a new variant of coronavirus is spreading.

Mr Hancock said this wasn’t the news he wanted to deliver at Christmas. He added:

“Just as we have got a tiered system in place, we have discovered a new more contagious virus, a variant which is spreading at a dangerous rate.”

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Mr Hancock also announced all data on the Oxford vaccine has been submitted to the UK’s medicine regulator for approval.

Public health bosses in North Yorkshire warned this week people should brace themselves for the new variant.

They also warned that Scarborough’s case rate could see the county moved up to tier three if not brought under control.

Scarborough has the highest case rate in the county with 269 infections per 100,000 people; the Harrogate district has the lowest at 89.

The county’s seven-day case average currently stands at 139 per 100,000 people, below that of the England average at 319.

32 new coronavirus cases on the day Harrogate vaccination site opens

A further 32 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate district, but the average rate of infection remains the lowest in the county.

Today’s figure from Public Health England takes the district’s total number of cases since the start of the pandemic beyond the 4,000 mark to 4,030.

It comes as the seven-day average continues to increase in parts of North Yorkshire. Scarborough is the highest, with 269 infections per 100,000 people.

Harrogate’s figure, for the seven days to December 19, is 89 — the lowest of the seven districts in North Yorkshire.

The county-wide average is 139 and the England average is 319.

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Meanwhile, today saw the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate open its doors for the first people to receive the coronavirus vaccine.

A woman called Ann, who is 83 years old, was among the first through the door to receive the jab.

People aged over 80, care home residents and care home staff are first in line for the vaccine.

The NHS has said people will be contacted directly when their time comes and urged them not to contact their GP.

Two A1 service station appeals to be heard in New Year

The government is set to hear two appeals for motorway service stations to be built in the Harrogate district.

Separate proposals would see services built along the A1(M): one at Kirby Hill, between junctions 48 and 49 and the other near Ripon at junction 50.

Both developers, Applegreen and Moto Hospitality, have appealed the decisions by Harrogate Borough Council to refuse the plans.

A spokesperson for the Planning Inspectorate, the government agency that deals with planning appeals, said the first inquiry for Kirby will be held in February and the second will follow shortly afterwards.

The spokesperson said that both would be considered by one inspector “in the interests of efficiency” as they have common issues and are within the same authority area.

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Both applications were met with a backlash from residents.

Kirky Hill Residents Against Motorway Services, a residents group set up to oppose a service station near the village, says the scheme is “socially and environmentally irresponsible” and has called for Applegreen to drop its plans.

The plan was rejected in November 2019 and an appeal was due to be heard this year, but was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Moto Hospitality’s plans for a new filling station, small hotel, food and retail unit were rejected by councillors in October.

Hewick and Hutton Parish Council objected to the plans and said there was “no need” for another service station.

In a decision notice explaining its refusal, the borough council said:

“The proposal is outside development limits and represents an unsustainable development that would result in a significant encroachment into open countryside causing harm to the landscape in conflict with policies EC3 (A & C), GS3 and NE4 of the Harrogate District Local Plan.”

The Stray Ferret contacted Moto for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Applegreen said previously it was not appropriate to comment until the appeal had been heard.

Killinghall bypass proposed as part of plans to tackle congestion

Plans for a Killinghall bypass look set to be put forward as part of a wider set of measures to tackle congestion in the Harrogate district.

The other measures include improvements to the A61 and A59, closing off residential streets in Bilton and creating a park and ride for the south of Harrogate.

North Yorkshire County Council conducted a study last year to find ways to ease congestion in the Harrogate district.

The study found fierce opposition to building a western relief road that would have included bypassed Killinghall. That idea is now off the table.

But the idea of a standalone bypass for Killinghall will be put to the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area committee on January 7.

A report to the committee says the current bypass proposal would cost less to construct than the relief road and would offer “high value for money”.

It recommends councillors add the plan to the authority’s list of major projects, which would require funding from the Department for Transport.

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Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, told the Stray Ferret the scheme would need to develop a business case to secure funding.

Cllr Mackenzie said:

“A relief road is what we were proposing but 80% of people did not want it.

“There will be various business cases. There is always funding available from government and we would expect the Killinghall bypass to be a separate business case.”

Closing Bilton streets

The committee will also consider closing some streets in Bilton to create low traffic neighbourhoods to encourage people to make shorter journeys by walking or cycling.

A park and ride to the south of Harrogate near to the A61 has also been identified. 

However, council officers are expected to develop the proposal further with an existing bus service in order for the scheme to be financially viable.

The county council also wants to improve the A59 and A61 for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

A further report on the finances of the projects is expected to brought before the county council in spring 2021.