More double yellow lines for Harrogate

New double yellow lines are set to be painted on Harrogate’s roads to stop cars waiting on streets and causing a hazard.

A new order by North Yorkshire County Council will see new yellow lines appear on some roads across Harrogate, Pannal and Burn Bridge as well as others being lengthened and shortened.

The council has said the new measures are to encourage road safety and avoid obstructions in some busier areas.

Some of the roads included in the measures are:

The times parking is restricted and whether there will be double or single yellow lines can be found here.

Read more:

Melisa Burnham, highways area manager at the council, said:

“Traffic regulation orders of this type are commonplace. These orders relating to Harrogate, Knaresborough, Pannal and Burn Bridge are to prevent motor vehicles being left on yellow lines for various reasons, predominantly road safety, by preventing obstructions or regulating vehicle movement or parking.

“All these ordered were publicised and comment invited in April. This included responses from residents.

“The restrictions will come into force at the earliest opportunity, as soon as specialist road marking contractors can undertake the work.”

Harrogate trucker: ‘HGV licence costs deterring new drivers’

A Harrogate lorry driver has said the costs of obtaining a HGV licence need to be reviewed if more people are to take up the career.

The government said this week it was introducing temporary visas for 5,000 lorry drivers after a Road Haulage Association survey revealed a shortage of more than 100,000 qualified drivers in the UK.

This shortage has contributed to ongoing fuel supply problems.

Mark Garrod, from Harrogate, holds a category 1 HGV licence, which entitles him to drive lorries weighing more than 7.5 tonnes. He said the cost of obtaining a licence could deter some of those wanting to train as drivers to fill the vacancies.

The cost of the test alone is about £225 and learners must also pay to complete 35 hours of training. Mr Garrod believes the combined cost is too much for many people, particularly the unemployed.

He urged the Department for Transport to review the costs, or find ways to encourage employers to help staff who wish to learn.

Mr Garrod, who is not currently working but is due to join a Harrogate lorry company in the coming weeks, said he’d spoken to numerous people looking for haulage work who had turned down roles because they couldn’t afford the fees. He added:

“People see this shortage as an opportunity to find work but then they see the cost of getting the licence and they can’t afford it.

“It may be that something as simple as reviewing the costs could help the shortage of drivers.”

Surge in inquiries at Harrogate law firm 

Harrogate law firm Truth Legal said today it had received a surge in enquiries from international drivers hoping to apply for short-term visas.

But it added there was still a lack of clarity over how the initiative will work.

Louis MacWilliam, head of immigration at Truth Legal, said:

“If an employer doesn’t have a sponsor licence already, the process of getting one can take weeks or even months.

“It’s not yet clear how this will mesh with the government’s plans to open the scheme in October, and close it on Christmas Eve”.

The Department for Transport announced various measures this week to increase the number of lorry drivers.

They include using Ministry of Defence examiners to increase immediate HGV testing capacity and introducing free, short courses to help drivers gain a category C or category C&E licence.

Read more:

A government spokesperson said:

“We’ve taken immediate action to increase the supply of HGV drivers, streamlining the testing process, enabling fuel companies to work together and introducing short term visas.

“This is a global problem and we have been working closely with industry for months to understand how we can boost recruitment.

“However we also want to see long-term solutions delivered by employers through improved testing and hiring, with better pay and working.”

Boroughbridge roadworks causing ‘horrendous’ delays for drivers

Boroughbridge residents have expressed frustration at queues caused by temporary traffic lights on Bridge Street.

Queues on either side of the bridge have been growing in recent weeks due to the lights, which are near the development of six luxury apartments at the former HSBC building.

Three-way temporary lights have led to queues in both directions.

Locals have described the queues coming over the bridge, in the town centre and on Mill Lane as “horrendous”.

One resident, Neil Macdonald, who lives within walking distance told the Stray Ferret:

“This is the second time they have been there and they cause huge queues back to the roundabout and Horsefair.”

Read more:

The roadworks are not visible on North Yorkshire County Council’s roadworks map, which provides details of the nature of work and how long it is expected to last.

Remember, you can keep up-to-date on any morning traffic delays via our live blogs with  updates very 30 minutes from 6.30am to 9am. 

Elderly queue for two hours in rain for booster jabs at Knaresborough

Several readers have contacted the Stray Ferret to say they had to queue outside in the rain for up to two hours on the opening day of the new Knaresborough vaccination site.

The pharmacy-run site relocated today to Chain Lane Community Hub. As well as administering first and second doses of the covid vaccine, it is also giving booster jabs.

Three women got in touch to describe long queues outside the clinic, with some as old as 80 standing outside for long periods.

Carol Harrington said she arrived at 12.30pm and received her vaccine just after 2pm. She said:

“Everyone was elderly, some were in wheelchairs others with sticks. Some people were really struggling, so they took them inside.

“It was awful, I understand it was the first day and they may fix it but it really wasn’t good.

“My husband struggles to walk so I’m worried for when I have to bring him.”

‘Distressing to see’

Another lady who asked not to be named, said she was there from 11.30am to 1.45pm. She said:

“I was quite distressed to see so many people stood in the queue. I think I’m fairly fit for someone over 80 but I was surrounded by people that weren’t. There was one lady who had to get a chair and we kept moving it along the line.

“I kept asking the volunteers but no-one had any answers.”

Tracy from Ripon, who asked not to use her full name, said she was asked to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” with no social distancing. She said despite everyone wearing masks she didn’t feel safe.

“I was waiting for 50 minutes. Asking vulnerable people to stand shoulder-to-shoulder so they can avoid the rain isn’t OK. I’d much rather get a little damp then get too close to someone in a pandemic.

“I’ve felt safer in busy supermarkets.”

Read more:

‘Tomorrow won’t be the same’

The site, run by Homecare Pharmacy Services, opened in the car park of the former Lidl in Knaresborough in February but said it wanted to move to larger premises for winter.

The site will be one of the main hubs for booster jabs in the district, alongside Ripon racecourse.

Its managing director, Jason Baskind, acknowledged the claims from today’s visitors:

“It’s a new site and it’s a case of learning about the mechanics of the car park. We will be learning from today, all the team tried to keep the queues as small as we could.

“There are absolutely lessons to be taken. Perhaps we overestimated what we could do on day one. It’s about maximising the capacity whilst keeping queues small. I am very hopeful tomorrow won’t be the same.”

Harrogate woman: ‘A hand grenade was found in my garden’

A woman from Harrogate has spoken of her shock at discovering there was a hand grenade in her garden today.

Sandra Warburton’s family home on Gordon Avenue, in Bilton, became the centre of a police operation today when the explosive device was found.

The house has been in Ms Warburton’s family for 60 years but it was only today, the day after she sold it to her daughter, that the grenade was discovered.

Ms Warburton, who received a call from her son-in-law this morning saying he’d found the device, said she was shocked and bewildered. She added:

“It could have been there when we were little”.

Her son-in-law contacted North Yorkshire Police, which quickly responded by placing a cordon on the street and giving nearby residents the option to evacuate.

Two bomb disposal experts arrived just after 1.15pm and were able to safely remove the device and leave, along with other police officers, about 30 minutes later.

Ms Warburton said:

“These things just don’t happen. My son-in-law that found it this morning, he just rang and said someone was on their way to deal with it. He was moving all sorts of things around and he found it in the garden.

“But they’ve found it and said it was fine now. I just can’t believe it.”

Read more:

Police cordoned off three streets in Bilton after the discovery on Gordon Avenue, just off Bilton Lane, late this morning.

A police statement said:

“Police evacuated a small number of houses whilst the Ministry of Defence made an assessment on the device.

“The MoD recovered the device and the cordon is now lifted.”

18-month road closure order begins on Starbeck’s Bogs Lane

An 18-month closure order came into place on Bogs Lane in Starbeck today amid ongoing development work in the area.

The street, just off the main A59, is a busy residential area that has been affected by numerous new housing schemes.

Henshaws Specialist College, which has about 80 students with special educational needs and disabilities, is also based on Bogs Lane.

North Yorkshire County Council‘s roadworks map says the closure is for ‘carriageway works’ and is due to end on March 26, 2023.

The Stray Ferret understands residents and businesses will still able to get in and out of the road during the work but we were unable to get clarification from the council on precisely how often the road will be closed over the next year and a half.

With a similar 18-month closure order already in place on Kingsley Drive, locals are already used to dealing with road closures.

Barrie Mason, assistant director for highways and transportation at the county council, said in a statement:

“An 18-month order is processed should there be a need for multiple works on site, for example, surface dressing.

“An-18 month order also allows for changes in the programme if necessary. When the dates are confirmed they are published on our roadworks map.

“Wherever possible we alert residents and road users to roadworks in advance.”

Read more:

The road is often used as a cut-through by motorists to avoid tailbacks on the A59 so any closures over the months ahead could increase traffic on Knaresborough Road.

Follow our morning Traffic and Travel blogs for live updates on roadworks and delays. 

Children learn about food at Summerbridge farm

Schoolchildren enjoyed a different kind of lesson today when they visited a Summerbridge farm to learn how food goes from the field to the dinner plate.

The children visited Birchfield Ice Cream Farm as part of a new initiative from Yorkshire Agricultural Society.

The society launched the Farm to Fork campaign to teach the younger generations about farming, food and the countryside.

The children, from Ashfield Primary School in Otley, enjoyed a trailer ride around the farm as the Whitley family, who run the farm, explained how they look after animals.

The children also got to see farm’s cows, pigs and hens up close as well as visit the farm’s dairy parlour to see how ice cream is made.

Sarah Whitley, of Birchfield Ice Cream Farm, said:

“We’ve loved hosting Ashfield Primary School with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and hope the children have come away with a real insight into how farmers produce food and look after their animals and crops.”

school kids visit summerbridge farm

The children meet the animals.

Ben Nowell, class teacher at Ashfield Primary School, said:

“As a teacher, we try to teach the children to make the best choice they believe in with the information that they have.

“We believe it is important for children to understand where their food comes from and how it is made so they can make informed, healthy decisions for themselves.”

Read more:

Today’s visit is one of several organised throughout the year. The campaign was launched by the society during last year’s first lockdown.

Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the society, said:

“It is so important to educate new generations about where their food comes from and our Farm to Fork visits are great opportunities to do exactly that.

“Yorkshire has such a wonderful farming story to share and the earlier we can get this message across to children the better.”

Harrogate dementia group reopens doors to new members

A wellbeing group offering support for people with dementia and their families is looking for new members as it reopens post-covid.

The group, based at St Luke’s Church in Harrogate, has been open for nearly five years and offers a space for anyone in the local community to come and meet friends and take part in activities.

Initially set up for families affected by dementia, the weekly group now hosts sessions for anyone wanting to make new friends.

The group had to stop during the pandemic for 17 months but reopened three weeks ago.

Before the pandemic around 35 people came each Thursday between 1-3pm but now it is only 15.

Group leaders Lizzy Turner and Victoria Amella are determined to get more people involved. They say the benefits to someone who may feel isolated can be huge.

Ms Turner said:

“The group look forward to coming each week, especially after the pandemic. A lot of our members are older so had to isolate so the group has been great to come back to.

“We want to grow it so more people can benefit from what we offer. We’re a great little group and have built some great friendships over the years.”

Read more:

The sessions are £2 and visitors will get soup and a cup of tea as well as the chance to take part in different activities.

As well as the usual domino games and arts and crafts, Ms Turner said visiting teachers also come to teach members music and chair yoga.

Ghost walks launch in Knaresborough for spooky season

With spooky season almost here, one man from Knaresborough is preparing to reveal the town’s scary tales with a new ghost walk.

Organiser Mark Ellison says Knaresborough’s history means there are plenty of spooky tales to give his audience goose bumps.

This will be the first year of the ‘Knaresborough Knightmares’ ghost walks.

Mr Ellison, also a performer for Ripon Ghost Walks, said the walks went down well in Ripon and he wanted to bring them to Knaresborough.

The walk will be held on October 27 and take people from the Market Square to the castle. Tales of murder, witchcraft and ghosts will be shared along the way.

Mr Ellison will be joined by other performers and well-known group, the Knaresborough Mummers, who will help tell the town’s history.

He said:

“A lot of stuff like this couldn’t happen during the pandemic and myself and the Mummers wanted to do something in case we couldn’t do our normal festivities.”

Read more:

To join the Knaresborough Knightmares ghost walk, click here.

Mr Ellison is also hosting a Christmas ghost walk on December 22 which will follow a similar format.

Former Harrogate headteacher denies making indecent images of children

A former Harrogate teacher has pleaded not guilty to two counts of making indecent images of children.

Matthew Shillito, 42, appeared before Harrogate Magistrates’ Court yesterday, September 23.

The two counts include 20 Category B images and 3,723 Category C images, made between December 3, 2012 and December 31, 2015.

A statement by North Yorkshire Police today said:

“We can confirm that Shillito was a teaching professional in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire at the time of the alleged offences.

“He was immediately suspended from his post when he was arrested in January 2020 and subsequently dismissed.

“Parents can be reassured that none of the alleged offences relate to his employment.”

Shillito was appointed headteacher of Harrogate’s Western Primary School in 2019.

He was previously headteacher across the Goldsborough Sicklinghall Federation of schools.

Shillito was remanded on conditional bail and the case was adjourned for trial at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court on March 4 2022.

Read more: