Subscribe to trusted local news

In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.

Already a subscriber? Log in here.

Oct 2022

Last Updated: 27/10/2022

Transport

Calls for safer cycling on Oatlands Drive in new Harrogate survey

by John Plummer

| 27 Oct, 2022

The survey will lead to measures to reduce traffic and increase cycling and walking in the Saints area of Harrogate.

Calls to make Oatlands Drive safer for cycling feature prominently in the initial responses to a new survey on active travel in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire County Council opened a public engagement this week on how to encourage more people to cycle and walk in the densely populated area bordered by Wetherby Road, York Place, Leeds Road and Hookstone Drive and Hookstone Road.

It is hoped the exercise will lead to the introduction of traffic calming measures that result in fewer vehicles and more cycling and walking, especially as the area includes two large secondary schools — St. John Fisher Catholic High School and St. Aidan’s Church of England High School.

People can have their say on an interactive map, which has generated 271 responses so far in its first week.

Oatlands Drive, which passes St Aidan's, has attracted a strikingly high number of responses, with many focussing on how unsafe the narrow cycling lanes are. The comments include:

"The cycle lane is actually worse than having no lane as cars see it as a segregated lane and pass really close in their lane."

"Please, please do something to stop people parking their cars at the side of this road. When I cycle on this road, I am forced to undertake potentially dangerous positional moves."

Other Oatlands area suggestions include banning hospital workers from parking in the Saints area and better cleaning of drains to prevent flooding.

Backlash to previous Oatlands Drive plans

The survey was launched this week — more than a year-and-a-half after proposals for one-way traffic on Oatlands Drive were scrapped following a backlash from residents.

A 20mph limit and traffic filters were then proposed, however, residents were still unhappy.

Kevin Douglas, chairman of Harrogate District Cycle Action, has urged the council to "have the backbone to deliver" this time.

Cllr Keane Duncan, executive member for highways at the authority, said previously:

“The public engagement demonstrates our commitment to ensuring local people are involved in the design process from the outset.”

To have your say on the proposals, click here.