Harrogate Fire Station demonstrated the capabilities of its aerial ladder platform in an exercise at York Minster today.
The platform, which is the longest in North Yorkshire, was utilised on Saturday during a chimney fire at the Castle Inn in Knaresborough.
It was in action again today as part of a training exercise in which Harrogate firefighters were joined at the minster by crews from York, Huntington and Acomb.
According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Risk and Reward Model 2022-2025, which describes how fire resources will be deployed, the only other aerial ladder platforms in the county are based at Huntington, near York, and Scarborough.
However, the other two are only capable of extending 32 metres, whereas Harrogate’s can reach 45 metres.
The platform can extend to 45 metres.
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- Three months of roadworks on A61 from Harrogate to Ripon set to begin
Three months of roadworks on A61 from Harrogate to Ripon set to begin
Roadworks are set to bring three months of disruption to motorists travelling between Ripon and Harrogate.
The A61 will be dug up as part of fibre optics company City Fibre‘s £46 million digital infrastructure upgrade in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon.
Work has been completed in most areas. However, signs have gone up on the A61 Ripon Road warning that nighttime work will take place between April 17 and July 13.
Kim Johnston, regional partnership director at City Fibre said:
“From April 17, we will be starting work on the A61 between Harrogate and Ripon.
“This work will last for approximately three months and will require traffic management on one side of the road.
“Works will take place 7pm to 6.30am, Monday to Friday, with the road returned to two-way traffic every morning.”
Traffic lights will be in place during these hours, and no detours are planned.
A City Fibre spokesperson added “there may be a small amount of weekend work, subject to confirmation with highways”, adding:
“If this is the case, City Fibre will actively avoid any weekend with a major local event like Harrogate Flower Show.”
The entire length of the A61 between Ripon and Harrogate will be affected.
Ms Johnston said:
“CityFibre is investing £46m in transforming Harrogate and Ripon’s digital infrastructure and bringing next generation full fibre connectivity to almost every home and business in the area.
“This is a major undertaking, which is why we work closely with our build partner, local authorities and the council’s highways team to manage disruption as best we can and ensure works are delivered quickly, and always to our high standards.”
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- Ripon‘s non-stop knitters create Easter displays for the city centre
- Harrogate road to be closed until November
All Creatures star pokes fun at Harrogate station’s ‘harassing’ staircase
All Creatures Great and Small star Samuel West has poked fun at the number of brightly coloured warnings that greet commuters at Harrogate train station.
People using the stairs to cross platforms are greeted by a raft of brightly coloured messages imploring them to do everything from use the handrails to keep to the left.
West, who plays Siegfried Farnon in the Channel 5 remake of the drama series about vets, expressed his sensory overload on social media after a recent visit to the station.
The actor and narrator tweeted to his 104,000 followers:
https://twitter.com/exitthelemming/status/1642619635194372100
The post has attracted 4,500 likes and 249 retweets.
One person replied that it looked like a “seriously bossy set of steps” while another described it as “a sensory nightmare”.
Somebody else said:
“A frustrated copywriter finally given a platform… so to speak!”
Several commented they would be too worried about tripping to read all the messages.
A spokesperson for rail operator Northern said:
“We carry out regular inspections of the stations across our network and we’ll certainly take this into consideration.”
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Harrogate road to be closed until November
The closure of a busy road in Harrogate is to continue until November.
A section of road where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane has already been closed for five months to enable Redrow to carry out work at its 133-home Kingsley Manor development.
The closure, which prevents traffic using Kingsley Road and Bogs Lane as thoroughfares, has divided opinion.
It has also heightened fears about emergency vehicle response times as the route can be used as an alternative when Starbeck level crossing barriers are down.
North Yorkshire County Council issued a temporary prohibition of traffic order that came into effect on November 7 last year.
The order was for 12 months but at the time David Faraday, technical director for Redrow (Yorkshire), said “we don’t anticipate the works will take the full six months to complete”.
But signs have now appeared saying the closure will be active until November.
Kingsley Road, shortly before the road closure.
Mr Faraday said today:
“Unfortunately due to reasons beyond our control, essential works at the entrance to our Kingsley Manor development have been delayed. We informed the local authority of this and in January they granted permission for road closures to be extended until November 2023 in the interest of safety.
“We are pushing to complete the works, which include bringing new high voltage electricity cables to the site as quickly as possible so that the roads can be reopened. We would like to thank residents for their patience and understanding while the works are being undertaken.”
Knaresborough Road ‘saturated’
Local resident Clare Ayres said she was disappointed and wanted the road to re-open as soon as possible because it would ease “the saturation of traffic on Knaresborough Road” and surrounding routes.
Ms Ayres added:
“It won’t be long before they start building on the land on Kingsley Drive, which will mean more lorries and congestion. I’m also concerned about access for emergency vehicles.”
Cllr Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley on North Yorkshire Council, said there was no obligation on Redrow to consult on the matter as the traffic order applied for 12 months.
He also said the developer had been obliging by maintaining a footway for pedestrians and cyclists, who would have otherwise faced a 1.4-mile diversion.
Cllr Aldred also said he supported moves to permanently close the road at the bridge where Kingsley Road and Bogs Lane meet. He said:
“It would stop the notorious Kingsley rat run, once and for all, so a further six months actually allows time to continue this experiment whilst the works continue.”
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Free chicks bring Easter magic to Bilton
Free chicks are once again appearing in Bilton over Holy Week to bring some Easter magic to children.
Members of Bilton Grange United Reformed Church knit the chicks and leave them on the hedge outside the building each morning.
They will be appearing every day this week until Easter Sunday.
Children are welcome to take them for free.
The volunteers have run similar initiatives during other Christian festivals. For instance, they put out angels at Christmas and doves at Whitsun to spread joy.
The chicks are laid on the hedge at the junction of Skipton Road and Woodfield Road every morning until Easter Sunday.
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Members of Bilton Grange United Reformed Church pictured giving away the chicks last year.
About 850 scooter riders made the most of yesterday’s sunshine by taking part in the annual Knaresborough to York rally.
The event is one of many ride-outs organised each year by Yorkshire Scooter Alliance.
It was the first gathering of 2023 and gave participants the opportunity to meet up for the first time since winter.
The scooters converged at Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough before setting off through the town and on to York.
Here are some photos from the day.
Pic credit: Mervin Straughan
Pic credit: Mervin Straughan
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Police seek brick-throwing Ripon boys
North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information about a group of boys throwing bricks at a window in Ripon.
In a media release issued today, police said the “criminal damage incident” took place on Aismunderby Road at about 4.45pm yesterday.
The release said:
“Several teenagers threw a brick at a property window. The teenagers were described as approximately 12 to 14 years old.”
Anyone with information can email gareth.skelton@northyorkshire.police.uk or dial 101, select option 2, and ask for Gareth Skelton.
Or you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
Quote reference number 12230057881.
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Thousands of teachers descend on Harrogate as new strikes called
Thousands of teachers are in Harrogate this week for the National Education Union‘s annual conference.
Delegates poured into Harrogate Convention Centre this morning for the four-day event, which began with news that teachers had rejected the latest government pay offer and were preparing for more strikes on April 27 and May 2.
Visitors were greeted by dozens of activists outside the convention centre handing out leaflets and distributing copies of left-wing publications such as Morning Star and Socialist Worker.
The week will see numerous fringe events take place in Harrogate as well as at the conference centre and nearby hotels.
Delegates arrive this morning
The NEU is the largest teachers’ union with 32,000 members from 1,700 schools.
Its latest pay ballot was rejected by 98% of teacher members in England on a turnout of 66%.
Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, issued a joint statement to delegates in Harrogate:
“This resounding rejection of the government’s offer should leave Education Secretary Gillian Keegan in no doubt that she will need to come back to the negotiating table with a much better proposal.
“These strikes are more than three weeks away; Gillian Keegan can avoid them.
“No teacher wants to be on strike. Nor can they accept this offer that does nothing to address the decades of below inflation pay increases making them the worst paid teachers in the UK.”
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Harrogate school raises £6,500 in 1,000-mile cycling challenge
A Harrogate primary school cycled 1,000 miles in 24 hours to raise £6,560 — triple its fundraising target.
Teachers, pupils and parents from Hampsthwaite Church of England Primary School set off on a virtual race from John o’ Groats to Land’s End with the target of raising £2,000 to fund playground improvements.
Riders took 15-minute turns on one of four stationary bikes in the school hall, with quick changeovers to ensure the pedals never stopped moving.
Video messages of support were received from professional cyclist Lizzie Deignan and Olympic gold medallist, Jonny Brownlee.
The first day finished with a disco ride in the dark, complete with lights and motivational music until 9.00pm and riders were back on the saddles again by 6.00am to continue the virtual journey.
An online fundraising page and cash sponsorships have so far generated £6,560.
Ms Ross with the head girl and head boy
Headteacher Amy Ross said:
“I am so proud of Team Hampsthwaite and what we have collectively achieved in these past two days.
“Every child has been involved and had the chance to take a turn on the bike and the support from parents and family has been incredible.
“I am overwhelmed by the amount of money that we have raised; it will make a tremendous difference towards improving the playground, which all pupils will get to enjoy.”
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Leon to close today in Harrogate
Leon in Harrogate is due to close at 8pm today.
It will mark the end of an ill-fated nine-month venture by the fast food chain, which employed about 20 people on Wetherby Road.
The final meals will be served at 8pm unless supplies run out sooner.
The site is operated by EG Group, which has a chain of forecourts across the country.
They include franchise partners such as Starbucks, Greggs and KFC.
EG Group considered opening a Starbucks on Wetherby Road before opting for Leon instead.
There is speculation it will now revert to its plans for a Starbucks, but the company has not replied to the Stray Ferret’s enquiries about its plans.
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