Full steam ahead on Harrogate’s £7.9 million Station Gateway project

Detailed designs for Harrogate’s controversial £7.9 million Station Gateway project are to be drawn up, it was agreed today.

Councillors voted to press ahead with the next stage of the scheme, which could see the pedestrianisation of James Street and Station Parade reduced to one lane of traffic,

The project, which aims to create a more attractive entrance to the town with greater priority for pedestrians and cyclists. is part of the government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

There are similar projects being run in Selby and Skipton but transport officials said Harrogate has proved the most contentious due to resistance from some businesses are worried about the impact on trade.

A recent public consultation, however, revealed public support for a town centre less dominated by cars.

A total of 45% of 1,101 respondents were in favour of the full pedestrianisation of James Street; 32% said no changes should be made and 17% backed a partial pedestrianisation.

For Station Parade, 49% favoured an option to reduce traffic to one lane, while 27% said it should be retained as two lanes and 24% said neither option was workable.

Speaking at today’s North Yorkshire County Council meeting, councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said:

“We have been lobbied quite strongly by the business community in Harrogate, of whom one or two members seem to think the gateway scheme is intended to make life more difficult for them. Those comments could not be further from the truth.

“The whole purpose behind the gateway scheme is to make all three of these town centres more attractive to visitors, especially those who want to come and spend money in our shops, restaurants and pubs.”

More detailed designs will now be completed before a business case is drawn up and a final decision is made.

A county council report said the impact on parking and traffic would be kept to a minimum, with just 45 out of 915 parking spaces lost.

The report also said reducing Station Parade to one lane would increase the average car journey time by 53 seconds, or by 1 minute 14 seconds with James Street fully pedestrianised.

Some businesses fear the removal of parking spaces and traffic lanes will mean busier roads and fewer shoppers.

Councillor Mackenzie added:

“In the past I have had concerns about the effect of one lane on Station Parade… but frankly, when I see the benefits that a one lane scheme can deliver, I believe that small additional extra time is well worth it.”

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Conservative councillor Michael Harrison, who represents the Lower Nidderdale and Bishop Monkton division, told today’s meeting it was important for the impact on traffic to be a key consideration when a final decision is made.

“This is not just about trying to persuade people to get out of the car – we have got to recognise that this area is a through-route as well.

“If there is a negative impact on travel times then we have got to acknowledge that, quantify it and make sure we have the road system working as efficiently as possible around the scheme.

“That is the right way forward and clearly we are going to do that.”

Further public consultation will now take place in autumn following the development of detailed designs and a business case.

If approved, construction could begin in summer 2022 with completion by March 2023.

Academy trust appointed to run new Knaresborough school

Elevate Multi Academy Trust has been appointed to run the new primary school that is being built at Manse Farm in Knaresborough.

The Thirsk-based trust, which was created in 2017, has 12 members schools in north and west Yorkshire, including three in Knaresborough.

They are Meadowside Academy, Aspin Park Academy and Knaresborough St John’s C of E Primary School.

The £5 million school will cater for families moving into the 600-home Manse Farm development on York Road, as well as the wider Knaresborough area.

It is being funded by North Yorkshire County Council, using government grants, and a £2 million contribution from the developer, Linden Homes in conjunction with Taylor Wimpey UK.

The school is set to open in September 2023 after the county council delayed its original planned opening date of September 2022 due to covid slowing construction work.

It will provide 210 places for pupils, with the capacity to be expanded to 420 pupils if necessary.

Nigel Ashley, chief executive of Elevate Multi Academy Trust, said:

“On behalf of Elevate and my team, I am delighted that we have been awarded such a prestigious honour to develop future educational excellence for new families who will be moving into the Manse Farm Estate area.

“We already have strong presence in the Knaresborough area, where we are familiar with the demographics and needs of the local community.

“Our utmost priority is quality provision where we all can achieve together and we look forward to opening the doors to our new, free school in September 2023.”

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The school will be a state-funded academy, in line with Department for Education guidance.

It was granted planning permission in June 2020.

Patrick Mulligan, the council’s member for education and schools, said it had been a “very competitive tender process”, adding:

“The Harrogate Local Plan has identified that in the medium to long term, more than 1,000 new properties will be built in Knaresborough and a new school will be needed over the coming years to meet demand.”

£7,000 raised so Ripon boy with rare cancer can enjoy outdoor space

Family and friends of a 13-year-old Ripon boy are trying to raise funds to create a safe space outdoors for him to enjoy with friends.

William Riddler was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a very rare and aggressive type of cancer, in March 2021.

Due to infection risks, William cannot socialise with his loved ones indoors so instead they want transform his front garden into a paved area. They have plans for a wooden shelter, jacuzzi and television.

Family friend, Sarah Bostock, has known the family for 20 years. She set up the just giving page 10 days ago after William’s condition worsened in hopes they can complete the works sooner.

It has already raised more than £7,400, but the target is for £10,000.

William first discovered a lump on his calf. Investigations found the cancer had spread to his eye bones, pelvis, spine, thighs, knee, ribs and sternum and possibly other areas of his body.

The Outwood Academy student is currently undergoing four different types of chemotherapy at Leeds General Infirmary.

Ms Bostock says she is praying William will be in the small percentage of patients that fight this nasty disease.

She said:

“I work full time so I couldn’t help in other ways but I still wanted to contribute. He loves the water so the jacuzzi was his idea. William is great, he’s cheeky and always playing jokes on people. I can’t believe how the community has come together to support the family.

She [William’s mum Louise Riddler] deserves this, she’s always helping other people and now people can see that she needs help too.”

William Riddler

William getting comfy on some of the garden furniture donated by Morrisons in Ripon.

The family is hoping to have the space ready by the summer so William has somewhere to go with friends after treatment.

Ms Bostock is keen to keep fundraising and reach the £10,000 target. She said Mrs Riddler has been “overwhelmed” with the support for her son.

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Ms Bostock added:

“The family is staying positive because William is so positive so it’s helping them.”

Donations have come in from businesses and people local to the family in Ripon. Others have pledged to shave their heads all in aid of William’s outdoor space.

To support the fundraising, click here.

County council invests £723,000 in Ripon SEND school

A new satellite school developed for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has welcomed more than 40 new pupils in Ripon after a £723,000 investment.

Mowbray School, Ripon, received the money from North Yorkshire County Council to open on the site of the city’s former Moorside Infant School.

The new school opened two of its classrooms last year to 12 pupils. It now hosts five newly equipped and fully refurbished classrooms, indoor and outdoor play and sensory equipment, calm rooms and a forest school.

The school will help children learn within their local area instead of travelling out of the county to get the specialist education they need.

It serves the Ripon, Harrogate, Boroughbridge and Knaresborough area and is a satellite of Mowbray School in Bedale.

The developments opened up a number of new jobs locally. The school has 30 members of staff and more are set to be hired when the kitchen opens.

Jonathan Tearle, Mowbray School executive headteacher, said:

“This has been a project four years in the making.

“It’s a fabulous facility and one which we are very proud of – it’s such a credit to the dedication and work of our staff. It’s been nice seeing the school grow from 12 to 42 pupils over the last few months.

“Seeing how the children have benefited is fantastic. It’s been uplifting to see them exploring the playground and playing and developing friendships.”

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Works are set to continue; the school recently put in a planning application to build a Rebound Training Centre at the site. This means the children can use trampolines with staff to improve their wellbeing.

In the summer a cycle track will also be installed so the pupils can use their adapted bikes and trikes.

The schools is part of the county council’s current strategic plan for SEND in North Yorkshire. The plan will see more funding invested into creating SEND provision in the county’s mainstream school.

There are more than 3,450 children and young people with education, health and care plans in the county.

Boroughbridge travel agent reports ‘handful’ of holiday bookings

The ease in travel restrictions does not go far enough to reboot the industry, a local travel agent has claimed.

Last Monday, eager holidaymakers were finally allowed to get on a plane after the ban on non-essential overseas travel was loosened.

But for Peter Cookson, group managing director at Spear Travels, Boroughbridge, the green list was “a bit of a joke”.

Current rules have placed 12 countries including Portugal, Iceland and Gibraltar on the green list, meaning travellers are required to take covid tests before they leave and before they return to the UK and again within two days of their arrival, but do not need to quarantine.

A further 173 countries are on the amber list, which has tighter restrictions. Travellers to these destinations must take an additional covid test on day eight after they arrive back and isolate at home for for 10 days.

spear travels

Spear Travels, in Boroughbridge, has not seen a boom in 2021 bookings

For the travel industry to truly get back on its feet, Mr Cookson said the restrictions have to change as the expense of covid testing is discouraging people booking trips.

He has confidence that “pent-up demand” exists but has only received a “handful” of bookings for Portugal and none for amber-list countries.

Mr Cookson expects this low level of interest to continue while strict measures to prevent the spread of covid are in place.  and said people are already re-booking their holidays for next year.

He said

“I think the main thing putting people off are the covid tests, for a family of four it could be around £500. The green list is a bit of a joke, people don’t want to spend that extra money.

“Until we get other countries like Spain, Italy and Greece on the green list, bookings will be slow. We’ve only had a handful of holidays to Portugal.”

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Looking forward he is hopeful for a return to pre-covid levels but said this might not be until 2023.

For now he said his team is focusing on re-booking people’s holidays for later dates and crossing their fingers for changes to the rules.

Spear Travels runs 12 shops across the country, which have reduced their opening hours to keep staff on furlough while bookings remain low.

Have you booked a holiday to an amber-listed country? Tell us about your holiday plans via contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Harrogate Clothes Bank needs help to save it from homelessness

A Harrogate charity is in need of new premises to continue supporting struggling families across the town.

The Harrogate Clothes Bank offers free clothing to those in need and is currently based at McCarthy’s Storage World on Ripon Road.

The charity’s home is being let out from August so it is on the hunt for a unit of between 1,000 to 1,500 square feet it can use for free, or somewhere it can rent for well below market price.

The clothes bank is run entirely by volunteers and was set up in 2016. Families in Harrogate who find themselves in financial difficulty can get in touch with the charity on Facebook and let it know what they need.

Before the pandemic the charity was supporting 60 to 70 families each month but it says since April this has dropped to 30 to 35 families. It said this is because organisations that handle referrals could be unaware it is running fully again.

The charity expects numbers to rise again in coming months.

Co-ordinator Mike Procter said:

“There are many reasons why people may need our help, it could be due to long-term financial issues or a crisis situation causing critical need such as escaping an abusive relationship.

“We will continue to help as many people as we can.”

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The charity has said location is important. Ideally it would be based on Knaresborough Road around Starbeck or Ripon Road near Jennyfield.

Mr Procter added that if no location was found the clothes bank would have to work out of several smaller spaces and offer a delivery service.

This would mean people’s options would be vastly reduced as they would be unable to come in and choose their clothes.

It is currently in need of summer clothing donations for children and adults.

The centre is open on Saturdays between 10.30am to 12.30pm for donation drop-offs and pick-ups. It is holding a pop-up clothing sale at St Mark’s Church, Harrogate, on Sunday to raise funds.

Harrogate Clothes Bank works closely with other charities including The Village, which offers free baby clothing in Harrogate. The charity shares its space with the Canaan Trust that provides free white goods and furniture.

Another partner is Resurrected Bites in Knaresborough, which makes meals out of food headed for landfill.

Ripley canoeing instructor says fatal accidents are rare

A canoeing instructor working in Ripley has said deaths while canoeing, like the one in the Harrogate district on Friday, are rare.

North Yorkshire Police reported a man had died in the River Ure, near West Tanfield, after falling out of a canoe.

Dan Miller has 15 years’ experience as a paddler and works as a canoeing instructor in Ripley. He said he thought fatal accidents were uncommon, especially among experienced canoeists.

Mr Miller is one of the directors at Live For Today, based at Ripley Castle, which offers canoeing trips on the castle’s lake. He said safety is a top priority for all paddlers and these were the main things to consider:

Weather

Mr Miller said the weather on the day and the previous days can impact the water levels so it is best to check them, via the Environment Agency’s website, first.

Previous days of heavy rainfall can sweep flood debris down the river causing an obstruction or covering the banks making the conditions more difficult to navigate.

How well you know the area

Mr Miller said, despite his experience, he would not paddle anywhere that he did not already know. He added it is best to have background knowledge of the map of the river and be aware of where the banks are.

Experience 

He advised anyone with limited canoeing experience to check they feel comfortable before entering any waterway. Going with other people is also a good idea.

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Mr Miller said:

“I don’t think there are many accidents like the one this week especially round here. At work, we will only ever use sections of rivers we deem safe.

“With canoeing it’s all about risk assessment and how confident you feel in the canoe. Your safety is the priority.”

Mr Miller urged people to attend a workshop with a club or water activity company before going out on the water.

Data from the Water Incident Database show that there were 254 deaths in UK waters from accidental drownings in 2020 across inland and coastal locations.

Film about the Troubles to premiere in Harrogate next week

A documentary about an ex-British army intelligence officer in Northern Ireland during the Troubles will premiere in Harrogate next week.

The Man Who Knew Too Much is billed as an “in-depth look at the smoke and mirrors world of intelligence, psychological warfare and fake news through the eyes of a man who stood proudly at the centre of that world”.

Directed by Michael Oswald, It tells the story of Colin Wallace, who was a senior information officer in the British army.

Wallace worked in a psychological warfare and propaganda department in Northern Ireland called Information Policy. Its job was to spread fake news, scare people and smear politicians to divide and create conflict amongst communities.

After refusing to work in areas he believed undermined democracy he was accused of leaking classified documents and made to take voluntary redundancy.

He was later framed for murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison — although the sentence was quashed on appeal 15 years later after the Home Office coroner admitted his report had been influenced by a member of the intelligence community.

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Directed by Michael Oswald and run in association with Harrogate Film Festival, the film will be shown at the Odeon in Harrogate on May 27 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5.

The film won Best Investigation and Reporting Documentary in the Harrogate Film Society Festival Features competition and online programme.

Harrogate Film Festival founder Adam Chandler said the premiere was “great news for the town”, adding:

“It’s fantastic that Harrogate Film Society and Harrogate Film Festival have managed to collaborate to bring this premiere to Harrogate.
“It’s an intriguing documentary with bags of insight – I hope everyone enjoys it – it’s fantastic to be back in the cinema!”

The festival is usually a 10-day event but this year a series of mini-festivals between April and September are being held. This is one of the few events able to go ahead in person following the easing of restrictions.

 

 

Aldborough and Boroughbridge Show cancelled for second year

Aldborough and Boroughbridge Agricultural Show has become the latest major event in the Harrogate district to fall victim to covid this year.

This year’s show, which would have been the 107th, was due to take place on July 25 at Newby Hall.

The event includes animal judging as well as craft tents and stallholders selling food and drink.

This is the second year the show has been cancelled due to covid.

The show committee announced the decision on Facebook. It said:

“It is with an exceptionally heavy heart that the committee have decided to cancel the show this year.

“This has not been a decision that has been taken lightly and all considerations and options have been considered.

“We are still discussing the possibility of a virtual event or perhaps something later in the year, however at this time I can confirm that our full show will not be going ahead on July 25.

“We will confirm next year’s date shortly and we really do hope that that show will be our best one yet.”

The event follows the likes of Ripley Show and Masham Steam Engine and Fair Organ Rally in being cancelled for a second year running.

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Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s almost the end of the week. I’m back again this morning with 15-minute updates on the road and rail links near you.

There are a number of continuing temporary traffic lights this morning worth keeping an eye on.

These blogs, brought to you by The HACS Group, are to keep you updated as the district’s roads get busier.

If you see anything please get in touch, if it is safe to do so, on 01423 276197 or via social media.

9am – Full Update 

That’s it from me for this week. Leah will be back with tomorrow morning from 6.30am.

Have a lovely day.

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Traffic Hotspots:

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8.45am – Full Update

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Traffic is building in these areas

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8.30am – Full Update 

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Traffic is building in these areas

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8.15am – Full Update 

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Traffic is building in these areas

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8am – Full Update 

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Traffic is building in these areas

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7.45am – Full Update 

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Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building in these areas

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7.30am – Full Update 

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Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building in these areas

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

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Buses

7.15am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are still looking clear so far this morning, check in later for today’s traffic hotspots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

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Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are still looking clear so far this morning, check in later for today’s traffic hotspots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are still looking ok so far this morning, keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking ok so far this morning, keep checking in for today’s traffic hotspots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses