Calls for action after four deaths on main Ripon to Harrogate road

Residents and councillors have called for action after the latest spate of deaths on the main road between Ripon and Harrogate.

A mother and two children were killed on the A61 Ripon Road last Sunday, eight days after a 59-year-old man died.

Both incidents occurred near South Stainley — prompting calls for safety measures around the village, including a reduction in the 60mph speed limit.

South Stainley resident Rebecca Brewins lost both parents when their vehicle was hit by a lorry on the A61 at South Stainley 11 years ago.

Ms Brewins and husband Carl have contacted North Yorkshire Council, which is the highways authority, Julian Smith, the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon and South Stainley-with-Cayton Parish Council to enlist support following the latest deaths.

The Brewins, whose house is directly off the A61, said they were aware of at least seven fatal crashes on the road around South Stainley in recent years and the “horrendous” death toll could no longer be ignored.

Mr Brewins said the volume of traffic and the wide range of A61 road users that include tractors, cyclists, lorries and cars created particular problems on the winding route.

The short overtaking lane on a bend.

The road is mainly single carriageway but a short overtaking lane on a bend near the Brewins’ home exacerbated problems by encouraging reckless manoeuvres and sudden bursts of speed, he added.

Mr Brewins said:

“The road is getting busier — we are getting more houses and more cars.

“If a strip of road a mile long outside your house has seven deaths, surely you have to do something.”

Ms Brewins said she was told after her parents died the accident statistics didn’t justify traffic calming measures.

But she said crashes were common on the A61, particularly between South Stainley and Ripley, where the speed limit is 60mph. The speed limit varies between 40mph and 60mph in the opposite direction towards Ripon.

Ms Brewins said the road was a constant source of worry:

“When my eldest daughter learned to drive I was a nervous wreck. She got an electric car so it wouldn’t stall when she pulled out on to the road.

“While the limit is 60mph it encourages people to constantly speed up and slam on their brakes.”

Traffic is allowed to drive at 60mph through the area.

Villagers ‘traumatised’ by fatal crashes

Jane Pickering, chairman of South Stainley-with-Cayton Parish Council, said villagers had been “traumatised” by the latest fatal accidents and frustrated by the lack of action.

She said villagers had tried to help victims while emergency services were on their way and were left overwhelmed by shock and grief.

Ms Pickering questioned why lower speeds were permitted in other villages along the route, such as Wormald Green, but South Stainley remained at 60mph. She said:

“We have been flagging this issue for years.

“I will be taking this up again on behalf of the parish until something is done about it.”

The 36 bus stop at South Stainley.

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, a Liberal Democrat whose Masham and Fountains division includes South Stainley, pledged support.

She told the Stray Ferret on Tuesday:

“I have spoken to the chair of the parish council today, and assured her I will be doing all that I can at County Hall to support the introduction of as many traffic calming and speed control measures as are necessary to make the road safer and – I hope – to avoid any more tragic accidents.”

Speed review

The Stray Ferret asked the council for data on road accidents around South Stainley and what action it planned to take in light of the recent spate of deaths.

A council accident graph said there had been 10 fatal accidents on the A61 since 2007.

Barrie Mason, the council’s assistant director of highways and transformation, said road safety was a priority and his thoughts were with the families and friends of recent victims.

He said the council worked with road safety partners across the county to make the roads safer, adding:

“We recently committed to undertaking a series of speed limit reviews across the county and the A61, along with other routes, will be investigated to see whether existing speed limits are appropriate.

“We are liaising with North Yorkshire Police as investigations into the fatal accidents are carried out. We cannot comment further before these investigations are complete.”

A council spokesperson said signs indicating the number of casualties on the road were removed more than 10 years ago.

The spokesperson added:

“They quickly became out of date, and in that location deemed to be a potentially dangerous obstruction on the road.”

They added the council had received five complaints relating to road safety concerns on this stretch of road over the last year and “most” had been in the last week.

We also asked Julian Smith, the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, for his views on what should be done but did not receive a response.

Police are still appealing for witnesses to last weekend’s crash and dashcam footage.

You can email Julie.brown@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass on information for incident 12230166439.

Read more:

 

Harrogate McColl’s to reopen as Morrisons Daily

A Harrogate convenience store is set to close temporarily next week for refitting and rebranding works.

The McColl’s shop on Royal Parade, opposite the Royal Pump Room Museum, will close at noon on Tuesday, September 12 and reopen 10 days later as a Morrisons Daily. The changes will include complete rebranding and alterations to the internal layout of the shop. 

The new-look store is due to reopen at 7am on Friday, September 22. 

A Morrisons spokesperson told the Stray Ferret: 

“The new Morrisons Daily fresh food convenience store in Harrogate will offer customers a carefully tailored mix of Morrisons own-brand products alongside branded favourites. 

“As well as new ranges, the store will receive a complete redesign internally and externally, incorporating Morrisons bright, modern branding. Fresh food is at the heart of the store, and we hope customers will love it.” 

The revamp of the Royal Parade shop is part of a rolling programme of works, as McColl’s shops are converted into Morrisons Daily stores following the acquisition of McColl’s by Morrisons last year. 

McColl’s had 1,164 shops when it was bought out of administration by Morrisons in May 2022. Of these, Morrisons said it would sell off 132 which were loss-making, including the one on Harlow Hill. The rest – such as the Bilton store, which was converted last year – are to be rebranded as Morrisons Daily stores.

In a second-quarter trading update issued in June, Morrisons said the 400 stores it has converted so far had seen increased sales. It added that it now has almost 650 Morrisons Daily stores across the UK, and expects to have almost 1,000 by the end of the year.

Read more:

 

Harrogate man ‘saves baby’s life’ during choking incident on M62

A Harrogate man saved an 11-month-old baby from choking to death after spotting a mother in distress on the M62 this week.

Liam Brown of Harrogate Automation Ltd was stuck in traffic on the motorway with his boss, Alex Eadington, on their way to a supplier in Warrington on Tuesday.

The pair noticed a car pull on to the hard shoulder and then a woman got out “screaming for help in desperation”.

Liam continued:

“We then saw a man get out of the car – it was the mother’s grandfather – and he was shaking a baby.

“He was screaming for help too.”

(left) Heroes Liam Brown and Alex Eadington, the owner of Harrogate Automation.

It was then that the men, who were still stuck in traffic, realised the baby was choking.

Alex, the driver, pulled the van on to the hard shoulder and Liam instinctively ran to help.

Liam said:

“I literally ran and just grabbed the baby, squatted down on one knee and place it over my knee to pat its back.

“I learned first aid in 2014, so I just tried to implement everything I’d learned to help.”

Mr Brown said the baby was convulsing and he could hear a rattling sound coming from around its mouth.

“I knew something was stuck at that point.

“I really gently put my finger in its mouth and pulled out a plastic wrapper.”

Fortunately, the baby’s breathing then steadied according to Mr Brown.

He added:

“There wasn’t much thought to it really.

“Alex and I are both fathers and it felt like a parental instinct to help – I couldn’t just watch and do nothing.”

Satisfied the baby had recovered, the two men returned to their van to continue their journey.

The baby’s mother, Lola Taylor of Salford, shared a message she’d sent to Harrogate Automation Ltd on social media:

“Just a quick message to thank your amazing team for the support and help they gave to my baby this morning.

“My baby was choking and two gentleman kindly pulled over and saved my baby’s life!

“If it wasn’t for that man my baby wouldn’t have survived – I’m honestly so so grateful.”

Ms Taylor also posted on her social media:

“What a traumatic experience. We are so so lucky.

“If it wasn’t for that man pulling over things would have been so different now.”

Read more:

Harrogate dealership switches car brand after owners sign new contract

One of Harrogate’s most prominent car dealerships is rebranding and restocking after its owner changed supplier. 

The Citroën showroom on Wetherby Road is in the process of becoming an MG Motors dealership; the premises are being repainted, staff are being trained on new software and a fleet of brand new cars arrived this morning. Managers expect the change to be completed over the coming week. 

Just Motor Group, the Keighley-based firm which took over the dealership 10 years ago, has invested about £50,000 in revamping the premises. All employees have kept their jobs, and the business has taken on two more, bringing its headcount to 15. 

Kevin Tyrrell, sales director of Just Motor Group, told the Stray Ferret the move had come about because Stellantis – the automotive multinational that owns Citroën, as well as Fiat, Jeep, Peugeot, Vauxhall and others – had terminated all dealership contracts and then offered new ones on different terms. He said: 

“It just wasn’t going to be financially viable for us. Historically, we’ve sold about 300 new cars a year from that site, but that wasn’t going to be possible under the new contract they offered.

“Fortunately, it was then that MG Motors stepped in with a better offer – it was perfect timing for us. They offer a seven-year warranty, they’re affordable, and they’re up-and-coming. Citroën has a 1.6% market share in the UK, whereas MG Motors have a 4.6% share, and it’s growing – so we’re definitely going in the right direction.”

Photo of the Citroen garage on Wetherby Road in Harrogate, which is currently being transformed into an MG Motors dealership by owner The Just Motor Group.

The change from Citroën to MG Motors is expected to be completed over the coming week.

But he said the garage’s existing Citroën customers need not worry that they are being left in the lurch. He said: 

“We’re still a Citroën authorised repairer, so we can still do warranty work, servicing and MOTs. In fact, we can even supply new vehicles and will have some parked outside. So we’re not just closing the door and forcing Citroën customers to find somewhere else – from an after-sales point of view, we’re still a Citroën garage.”

MG Cars was founded in Oxford as Morris Garages Ltd in 1924, later becoming part of British Leyland and then the MG Rover Group. It is now owned by SAIC Motor Corp Ltd, China’s largest state-owned car manufacturer, and the cars are made in China. 

Read more:

 

New bar opens on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road today

A new bar is set to open on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road today.

17 Miles will open its doors in the former Scandinavian clothes shop Bias.

The bar sells a range of independent craft beers, wines and non-alcoholic drinks.

Owner Matthew Gray came up with the name by combining the door number and the name of his son, Miles.

Mr Gray, who was granted planning permission for the conversion in April, said he wanted to open in the “up and coming” Cold Bath Road area.

He said:

“I think the vibe around the area is increasing.

“In terms of the venue, it immediately catches the eye of passers by with its windows.”

Here are some photos of the new venture, which adds to the growing number of bars on Cold Bath Road.

The bar is open from 4pm today and is dog friendly.

Its opening times will be 4pm to 11pm Tuesday to Friday, 12pm to 11pm on Saturday and 12pm until 9pm on Sunday.

Read more:

 

Raw sewage spilled into North Yorkshire streets 600 times in five years

Yorkshire Water has admitted that raw sewage has spilled into the streets in the Skipton and Ripon constituency area 600 times over the last five years.

The figure was revealed during a meeting in Skipton yesterday when the company’s head of corporate affairs, Tim Myatt, was grilled by councillors about what the company is doing to stop sewage and other waste being discharged into rivers and public places.

Mr Myatt, who was a senior Harrogate councillor for the Conservatives until earlier this year, said Yorkshire Water was investing an extra £180 million to reduce discharges by at least 20% before 2025.

This is on top of a £147 million investment to reduce discharge at its wastewater treatment works.

But councillors said the company had not spent enough since privatisation in 1989.

Last month, the council’s planning committee refused an application for 23 homes in Bishop Monkton following fears the housing would exacerbate raw sewage being released into village streets during heavy rainfall.

Nick Brown, the Conservative councillor for Wathvale and Bishop Monkton, asked Mr Myatt how many reported incidents of sewage being spilled into Skipton and Ripon’s streets there had been in the last five years. Mr Myatt told him it was 600.

Read more:

However, this only includes details from the main postcodes in the constituency area so the actual number is likely to be higher.

A ‘monstrous’ figure

Cllr Brown described the figure as “monstrous” and said more investment was needed.

He said:

“Six hundred incidents of sewage in villages and towns is unbelievable. I find the lack of investment over a period of years is partially to blame for that. In future, the investment must be made sooner rather than later in curing these problems.”

Mr Myatt said Yorkshire Water has had teams in Bishop Monkton this week looking at the problem.

Conservative and Independent Group councillor for Ripon Minster and Moorside, Andrew Williams, said the company has been providing an “effluent service” for customers.

He added:

“We raised the issue of effluent in the street in Ripon and received a fob-off. It’s not good enough.”

Conservative councillor for Settle and Penyghent, David Staveley, said Yorkshire Water had “stone-walled and come up with bad excuses” when faced with criticism from customers over raw sewage and other issues.

Mr Myatt said Yorkshire Water wanted a “step change in transparency”, including more monitoring of their infrastructure to help understand how to reduce overflows. He said he was aware the public wants the company to “vastly improve performance”.

He said:

“We have invested since privatisation. It’s important to not think that pre-privatisation there was lots of investment and now there is none. 

“There has been significant investment and improvements in certain areas.”

North Yorkshire Council is currently putting together a local plan that will map out where housing can be built across the county. 

Mr Myatt indicated Yorkshire Water would like to become a statutory consultee on planning applications and that the new local plan will help it target investment into infrastructure.

He added:

“Knowing where growth is likely to be enables us to plan for investment and make the case for that in those areas.”

World food supermarket opens in Harrogate today

A supermarket stocking a range of international cuisines has opened its doors in Harrogate today.

All Nations Supermarket on Skipton Road sells a wide variety of Asian, African, Middle Eastern and European foods and ingredients — the first of its kind in the town.

The store also has a butchers counter selling fresh meat and stocks halal foods too.

Owner Amjad Ali, who lives in Leeds but is originally from Kurdistan, told the Stray Ferret he decided to open in Harrogate due to a high demand for ethnic foods in the town.

Mr Ali said:

“I’d visited the area a few times.

“When I found the unit, I posted on Facebook to get a flavour of whether people would want a world food store and I got a great response.

“I knew then that the town wanted these foods.”

The store stocks the TikTok viral Buldak products, as well as a range of Asian spices, Middle Eastern desserts and even fresh fruit and vegetables.

The store boasts a large amount of Asian noodles and ramen dishes.

The shop has received a positive response on social media. One person commented it would save them going to Leeds to find something similar.

Mr Ali continued:

“We only opened this morning but the response from people has been absolutely incredible.

“I’m so happy and I feel so excited for the future.”

All Nations Supermarket is open seven days a week from 8am to 9pm.

Read more:

 

Woman fined after being in charge of dangerous dog in Harrogate

A Harrogate woman has been fined for being in charge of a dangerous dog after it bit a 15-year-old boy.

Deborah Patterson, 61, of Southville Terrace, pleaded guilty to two offences which took place in August last year.

She initially plead not guilty at a hearing in March but changed her plea before Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday.

Phillip Morris, prosecuting, told the court the defendant’s dog, Baxter, a boxer, bit the first victim on the leg while dangerously out of control in a small park at the junction of Skipton Road and Ripon Road on August 1

A week later, the same dog bit another dog between Skipton Road and Ripon Road.

Reading a witness statement, Mr Morris said the first victim, who was 15-years-old at the time of the incident, was sitting with a friend on a bench near Patterson’s home at 9.30am when Baxter approached him.

He added the dog jumped up at him and, after turning his back on Baxter, the dog bit the victim on the back of his leg.

The witness said:

“The owner sort of hid away after.

“I shouted at her ‘your dog just bit me’.”

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also posted a picture on his Snapchat story captioned: “I’ve just been bitten by a dog”.

He suffered bruising to the back of his leg as a result of the incident, the court heard.

Read more:

Patterson and her dog were then involved in a second incident on August 9.

Reading the second witness statement, Mr Morris said the named victim had been walking her two dogs with her baby in a pram near the same parkland on Ripon Road at around 10am. Baxter ran over and bit one of the woman’s dogs on the neck.

Ms Patterson and the second victim’s leads also became entangled and, as a result, caused the pram to tilt, the court heard.

The victim said in her witness statement:

“Afterwards, [Patterson] said ‘I’m not saying sorry to you’.

“I then told her her dog had just bitten mine.”

Neither the woman nor the baby were injured during this incident.

Mr Morris said that while neither victim wished for Baxter to be destroyed, they wanted the court to understand the defendant’s “acute lack of apology” following the incidents.

‘Lady of good character’

Peter Minnikin, defending for Patterson, told the court the offences took place more than 12 months ago and Baxter had not been involved in any similar incidents before or since.

He said Patterson was a “lady of good character” who had taken Baxter to behavioural training sessions in Cumbria.

Mr Minnikin added she had shown contrition in police interviews and had taken steps to control her dogs on walks since the offences.

In an interview with the police, the defendant said about the second incident:

“I should’ve checked — I just saw her and her dogs coming towards me.

“She was just trying to protect her lovely baby. No one was on the floor.”

At sentencing, the magistrates chose not to give a destruction order or contingent destruction order against the dog.

Instead, due to the defendants noted ‘good character’ and no further incidents taking place, the magistrates fined the 61-year-old £1,296.

She was also ordered to pay a total of £250 to the 15-year-old victim and £100 to the second victim as compensation.

Holiday home show opens in Harrogate for first time today

The Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate is hosting the UK’s biggest holiday home show for the first time today.

More than 220 holiday homes and 140 motorhomes and caravans will be on display at The Great Holiday Home Show.

The three-day show, formerly known as The Lawns, has never before been held in Harrogate in its more than 40-year history.

TV presenters Christine Talbot and Matt Baker will host chat shows, while YouTube motorhome family the Roaming Radfords and The Yorkshire Vet’s Peter Wright will also be in attendance.

The Great British Bake Off’s Karen Wright and chef Steph Moon will hold live cookery demonstrations over the weekend too.

Live music, children’s entertainment and food stands will also be on offer.

Sunrise at the showground.

Visitors can try their hands at paddle-boarding and e-biking, as well as towing tuition for upcoming caravan holidays.

As well as the chance to shop for outdoor holiday homes, accessories and motorhome technology will be available to purchase at the show.

Tickets are available online or on the door and cost £12.50 per person. Under 16s go free with a paying adult.

Parking is free and dogs on leads are welcome.

Read more:

 

Council hoping to build £20 million Killinghall bypass

North Yorkshire Council has said it wants to build a £20 million bypass in Killinghall to alleviate congestion.

The authority published a report this week that offers updates into three transport projects in Harrogate, including a bypass in Killinghall, which has been mooted for years but is yet to move forward to a firm proposal.

An unpopular relief road scheme near Nidd Gorge was scrapped by North Yorkshire County Council in 2019 following widespread public opposition.

But the problem of congestion has not gone away and the council’s Harrogate Congestion Study in 2019 suggested a village bypass in Killinghall still had a level of support among residents.

At the time, the council’s Conservative-run executive said that it would consider developing the project further to see if it might be able to win government funding so it could be built.

Since then, officials working on the bypass have looked at a number of possible routes to reducing the impact of traffic in Killinghall.

The latest report does not offer details on possible routes, but the county council previously said the route which offered the best value for money would be one that bypasses Killinghall to the east and connects the B6161 south of the village to the A61 above it.

Several new housing developments have been built in or near Killinghall in recent years and traffic going between Harrogate and Ripon has to pass through the village.

There have also been safety concerns around the B6161/A61 junction that the council thinks the bypass could help improve.

Read more:

In the report, the council argues that due to “the more rural nature” of Killinghall there are fewer opportunities to create active travel schemes that promote walking or cycling.

The report recommends that the public is asked their opinion on the bypass and that a route is eventually recommended.

Cllr Keane Duncan, executive member for highways and transport and Conservative mayoral candidate, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he believes a Killinghall bypass is “absolutely critical” to tackling congestion and improving road safety in the village.

Cllr Duncan said:

“We still need to confirm the best route, but the principle of delivering new road infrastructure here is absolutely right.

“It is the only real solution to the serious safety issues raised in the recent audit of the B6161/A61 junction in the heart of the village.

“I am fully committed to delivering this long-awaited bypass and the fair deal the people of Killinghall so desperately deserve.

“Devolution gives fresh hope of finally delivering this project and if elected as North Yorkshire’s first mayor I will seek to secure the £20m needed.”