Stray bollard planned for Beech Grove road closure

Highways bosses are to apply to erect a bollard on the Stray to stop cars driving over it to avoid the Beech Grove road closure in Harrogate.

Last week, the Stray Ferret reported cars were driving over the Stray to get around the new closure, which was put in place to block through traffic and create a Low Traffic Neighbourhood.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, described it as “extremely poor behaviour” and added that drivers were committing an offence.

Some people have taken to social media to report alleged incidents of drivers going over the Stray to get around the planters.

Andy, I have clear pics, including reg, of a Range Rover that's driven on the Stray to go round the Beech Grove planters. Who can I send them to for follow-up? pic.twitter.com/demf0Iwa8O

— David Peckett (@dsp99t) February 22, 2021

In a tweet, Cllr Mackenzie said the county council, which is the highways authority, would apply to Harrogate Borough Council to place a bollard on the Stray to block such manoeuvres.

He added the authority had already erected a bollard on the footpath side to prevent cars from mounting the pavement.

The borough council said it had yet to receive a request for the bollard, but confirmed that such a plan would require approval under the Stray Act.

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Beech Grove is closed to through traffic for six months before the county council, which is consulting on the scheme, decides whether to make it permanent.

In a letter to the Stray Ferret, Chris Granville, a resident on Beech Grove, said it had been “the most thoughtless implementation imaginable”.

He said:

“The signs are completely inadequate to inform the motorists of the change so it is almost inevitable that drivers will come up against the barriers.

“It would have been so easy to display reasonable size signs in good time, but no, it has been implemented as a motorist trap. It would also have helped if there was a partial barrier at the town end of Beech Grove, outside Wentworth Court, being a clear indicator that entry was for residents and parking only.

“Whoever has done this should show a little respect for road users.”

‘Give us a clear plan’, say Harrogate hospitality businesses

Hospitality businesses in the Harrogate district have called for a clear plan as they await the Prime Minister’s “road map” out of lockdown.

Boris Johnson is expected to announce the next steps to ease lockdown in his public broadcast later today.

For local hospitality, the most important thing is for there to be sufficient detail to allow them to plan the next steps in reopening – and that enough businesses can be opened to make the whole sector viable.

Kimberley Wilson, chair of guesthouse association Accommodation Harrogate, said reopening hotels would only be viable if other facilities were also able to open:

“Visitors want to know everything else is open before they book. One guy said to me, ‘I don’t want to come and sit in my hotel room with nothing to do – I want to know the shops are open and I can eat out’. It has to be a package.”

Dan Siddle, general manager of the Crown Hotel, said he doesn’t want to see restrictions eased and then reintroduced, and would rather wait longer until the country is “clear of the woods” before welcoming guests back. He added:

“Hospitality has suffered from March last year, and while there has been some positive support throughout, it’s important that we as an industry are not forgotten about and that that support continues. The VAT reduction, business rates cut, [and] furlough pay to support teams, could all be continued to help us through the recovery period.”

Harrogate BID said it was working on supportive measures for businesses which had been forced to close repeatedly, and will be carrying out projects including street cleaning and floral displays to make the town centre attractive again.

Harrogate BID carried out extra street cleaning at the end of the first lockdown

Chair Sara Ferguson said:

“Ideally, we would like to see all non-essential shops and the hospitality industry back open in time for Easter. This traditionally marks the start of the tourism season, and with hopefully warmer weather and lighter nights, those in the hospitality sector will again be able to make use of the pavements and other open spaces.

“However, I have a feeling the hospitality sector will be lockdown until after the holiday as the Government won’t want to face the issues it did at Christmas.

“Any rules and guidelines, national or local, must be clear and not leave room for any ambiguity which has occurred in the past. They also need to be strictly and consistently enforced.”

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While it is likely indoor events on the scale which Harrogate is used to seeing will be some way off, outdoor events are being planned from March onwards.

Harrogate International Festivals is working with other organisations on projects to encourage people back into the town centre from next month, if restrictions allow. Chief executive Sharon Canavar said:

“We must have made 50 plans and torn them up last year. What we’ve done this year is look at how we could put on events if rules are relaxed but there is still social distancing in place.”

Plans are also being made to stage the organisation’s larger festivals later in the year. The first of these is likely to be the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July – though it could be under canvas with reduced numbers compared to previous years.

All the changes needed will impact on events’ viability, but HIF – which has already cut its staff numbers down to just three – is looking at the long-term picture, both for its own events and as part of the town’s overall attraction to visitors. Sharon added:

“Do we want to just survive or do we want to make sure there’s a recovery there? What will the diary in Harrogate look like after this, for the arts and for business events? It’s not just about this year, but about what we’re creating for the future.”

Harrogate has ‘much more to do on climate change’

International charity Friends of the Earth says the Harrogate district has much more to do to tackle climate change.

Using data from December 2020, the charity analysed how different local authority areas across England and Wales are taking action to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

It found that Harrogate is falling behind other areas when it comes to green transport, renewable energy, and housing emissions.

‘Shocking waste of energy’

Friends of the Earth’s research found 31% of homes are well insulated in Harrogate which it said represents “a shocking and avoidable waste” of energy.

Currently, Harrogate produces 66,048 megawatt hours of renewable energy per year but the charity says at least seven times this amount is needed.

Regarding transport, it suggested that 23% of commuter journeys could be taken on a bicycle every day, yet only 2% are at the moment.

York performed much better where 12% of commuters cycle to work.

Rod Beardshall, transport lead for Zero Carbon Harrogate said the research shows that North Yorkshire County Council should “accept the scale” of climate change and invest in better cycling infrastructure for the district.

NYCC has been in the eye of the storm this week in over its six-month closure of Beech Grove, which provoked a fierce debate around the future of transport in Harrogate.

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Harrogate fared better with waste. The research found the district reuses, recycles and composts 41% of its household waste, slightly higher than Leeds on 39% and Scarborough on 36%.

However, the charity says the figure needs to be closer to 70% if it’s to make a meaningful difference.

Whilst the charity said Harrogate has made average progress in tackling climate change it said there is potential to create over 3,000 local green jobs in areas such as heat pumps, insulation, and renewable energy.

Kirsty Hallett from the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition welcomed the data and said it provides meaningful evidence on what needs to be prioritised in the district’s battle to improve the environment.

Climate breakdown

The government has a target for the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050.

Friends of the Earth says to avoid “climate breakdown” we need to make deep cuts in emissions by 2030.

Researchers at the Tyndall Centre have published a detailed carbon report for every local authority and say that Harrogate should reduce its emissions by at least 13% per year.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said itself, North Yorkshire County Council, and individuals, all have a part to play in cutting emissions.

They said:

“The latest figures show the Harrogate district has had a 29% reduction per person in CO2 emissions over the past ten years which is positive news.

“However, we have ambitious targets and have agreed a package of measures that form part our climate reduction strategy. This strategy outlines an action plan for a number of priorities with an overall vision of having net-zero carbon emissions by 2038.

“The most effective projects for achieving our ambitious targets are not going to happen overnight but we are committed to working hard to we implement the right measures in the best way possible.”

Stray Views: ‘Oatlands one-way system will cause havoc’

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. 

Oatlands one-way system will cause havoc

Although I am in favour of making cycling a more pleasant and safe experience around my neighbourhood, I am also very concerned about the knock-on effect of making Oatlands Drive one-way to the surrounding streets (including mine, St.Clement’s Road).
I moved here 18 months ago and have noticed how my road and those nearby are plagued by hospital staff parking outside our homes 7.30am-5pm weekdays. During weekends we are free of this. They are inconsiderately parking half up on the pavements and making entering and exiting our driveways difficult.
I have asked for double yellow lines at the back of Wayside Crescent houses on my stretch of St Clement’s Road on several occasions but have never received a response. The residents of Wayside Crescent never park on this stretch and so would be unaffected by double yellow markings and the road would thus be widened for safe passage.
Diverting traffic down St Winifred’s through the Saints will cause havoc. The roads are narrow enough without adding through traffic to residents’ traffic. Saints residents will have to go to town for heavy shopping via Wetherby Road or Hookstone Road, which are already congested.
The existing cycle lane on Oatlands Drive bordering the Stray should have double yellow lines, as people park in that cycle lane and up onto the Stray at weekends, making it dangerous for cyclists. A 20mph limit with two-way traffic on Oatlands Drive should suffice.
I am disappointed that this proposal was not more widely publicised for consultation and views, especially to residents of the Saints who would be so obviously impacted.
Dr. Susan McIlhinney, Harrogate

Thoughtless Implementation

I live on Beech Grove and feel the need to redress the apparent balance of opinion on the new traffic scheme. It is not yet clear whether it will be an eventual benefit as it awaits the link to the cycleways on Otley Road, which are later this year. So patience is required for now.

However, it has been the most thoughtless implementation imaginable. The signs are completely inadequate to inform the motorists of the change so it is almost inevitable that drivers will come up against the barriers. It would have been so easy to display reasonable size signs in good time, but no, it has been implemented as a motorist trap. It would also have helped if there was a partial barrier at the town end of Beech Grove, outside Wentworth Court, being a clear indicator that entry was for residents and parking only.

Whoever has done this should show a little respect for road users.

Chris Graville, Harrogate

Bewerley Park changes lives – we must preserve it

I have read the article concerning the proposed closure of Bewerley Park outdoor education centre with increasing sadness and distress. Bewerley Park holds a very special place in the hearts of many generations of people who have been introduced to the outdoors in its halls and dormitories. The work I have done there, working in groups with highly skilled experienced staff is truly life changing.

I realise, however, that nostalgia and heart-warming stories do not pay the bills. In the long run the closure of Bewerley Park will cost the council more. The best way to plan for the future of outdoor education in North Yorkshire is to include the current facilities.

If we do not then the council will need to pay for this from a private company or from outside the area, which will inevitably cost more. This is to say nothing of the impact on the local economy. If Bewerley Park were to close, the economic impact on Pateley Bridge from loss of revenue from visitors would be substantial.

In addition to this the mental health benefits of exercise and being in the outdoors are well documented. Children and young people have suffered greatly in the covid pandemic and we will really need our outdoor education centres in the coming months and years. The current staff at the current centres are best placed to meet this need.

To lose the facilities and expertise that we already have would be to neglect the future health and well being of our children and will surely cost us more in the long run.

Caroline Shevelan, Cumbria

Harrogate schools have shone during covid crisis

As we possibly move closer to a phased reopening of schools, a word of praise and gratitude for our local schools and their excellent staff: the state primary and secondary schools attended by my daughters in years 3 and 7 have done a truly marvellous job of providing user-friendly, well structured online education to pupils during lockdown, honing their provision during this latest period of restriction to a fine art.

They even set up a laptop and tablet donation scheme when the government’s promise to provide these where needed fell short of the mark.

The schools’ exemplary efforts in such testing times show up Education Secretary Gavin Williamson’s premature encouragement to parents to report inadequate online provision for what it is: an act of petty, ideologically driven malice.

Glyn Hambrook, Harrogate

 

Got an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Harrogate tech company creates 3D high street

A Harrogate-based digital company has launched a 3D interactive website of the high street to boost online sales.

Xpansive Digital has set up a website offering customers a 3D virtual tour and the option to make a purchase all from their favourite shops from the comfort of their couch.

The website, HighStreet Revolution, will include high street retailers, large and small, and eventually larger names too.

Unlike other online platforms, Justyn Shea, director of Xpansive Digital, says his website takes people into the shops they love without leaving home with a 3D tour.

Mr Shea is launching the pilot scheme with Harrogate businesses only but has hopes to take it national.

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Mr Shea said:

“Lockdown instigated the project, so many traders have gone online purely to keep themselves going. For those businesses local to us we are happy to do it free of charge. Hopefully it’ll give them a little stepping stone for more online sales.”

The website is reaching out to Harrogate businesses to get involved and have their shops incorporated into the 3D model.

‘Time to share the roads,’ says Harrogate cycling group

A Harrogate cycling group which consults with local councils believes that it is time for cars to start sharing the road with cyclists more.

The Harrogate and District Cycle Action (HDCA) comments come ahead of another proposed shakeup of the town centre to encourage cycling and walking.

North Yorkshire County Council will launch a consultation on Monday into its “gateway” project, which includes James Street and Station Parade.

The comments also come in the week that debate raged on about the closure of Beech Grove and proposals to make Oatlands Drive one way.

The Stray Ferret has seen record numbers of comments about these stories on our social media posts this week, in which people seem to be increasingly polarised.

Some local residents came out against the schemes because, they said, it would reduce access and choice for them. But others welcomed the news.

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Contrary to claims that the road closures appear random, the Harrogate and District Cycle Action (HDCA) group said that they all play into a wider vision for the town.

Kevin Douglas, chair of the HDCA, told the Stray Ferret:

“The main aim is to get people cycling for short journeys into the town centre. We hope to have segregate cycle lanes on all the arterial routes.

“Some think that we want the roads to be car free but we just want to be able to share the roads safely.

“Even the most experienced cyclists feel unsafe with big lorries passing them close by and would feel much safer with a segregated lane.

“There has not been any new cycling infrastructure built here since 2015 so it’s not like we have been dominating.

“Housing developers should also think about cycling routes. They build roads for cars but don’t seem to consider bikes, it’s nonsense.

“There are lots of new homes going up in Killinghall and there’s the greenway nearby. It would make sense to connect the village to that existing route.”

Mr Douglas, when asked about demand for all these new cycling routes, pointed to North Yorkshire County Council’s congestion survey in 2019.

That survey, answered by 14,000 people, found that 77% would use improved cycling and walking infrastructure if it was built.

James Street pedestrianisation back on the cards in major town centre scheme

Pedestrianisation of James Street, a single lane on Station Parade and more cycle facilities could be lined up for Harrogate town centre, under new council plans.

It comes as North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council are set to consult on proposals for the town’s “station gateway” project.

The county council secured £7.8 million in funding from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund last year to draw up plans to improve transport connections, encourage more people to walk and cycle and improve the image of the town centre.

A four-week public consultation on the project will start on Wednesday (February 24).

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Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, told a press briefing this morning that the scheme would also provide an “economic boost” for the area.

As part of the consultation, the public and businesses will be asked for their views on three options for James Street.

Other schemes which will be consulted on include one or two lanes on Station Parade and public event space at Station Square Gardens.

Cycle storage facilities, two new bus priority areas at lower Station Parade and Cheltenham Parade, and a water feature are also proposed.

Plans to temporarily pedestrianise James Street last year were criticised by local businesses and led to the county council postponing the measure until 2021.

Three options for James Street will be consulted on, under council plans.

Three options for James Street will be consulted on, under council plans.

Cllr Phil Ireland, cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability at Harrogate Borough Council, said the new schemes would be vital for the town.

He said:

“This is an extremely important scheme for the town, which we view as a solid foundation for change, particularly towards active travel.”

Cllr Ireland added that he hoped the plans would help people who come to the town to “feel more comfortable to get around safely”.

Plans for a ‘station gateway’ have been in the works for several years and fit into a wider strategy for Harrogate drawn up by the borough council in its 2016 Town Centre Strategy and Masterplan.

Cllr Mackenzie said the proposals were particularly important due to the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on town centres.

He said:

“It is extremely appropriate that we are looking to develop three schemes which will provide better facilities for pedestrians, for cyclists and better connections to bus and trains.

“But it will provide an enormous economic boost for our town centres, which frankly over the past 12 months have suffered a great deal.”

It comes as similar projects have been outlined for Selby and Skipton. Final designs and construction for the schemes are earmarked for spring next year.

People can give their views on the schemes in the online consultation from Wednesday here.

Appeal for witnesses after jewellery stolen from Harrogate home

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses and information after thieves stole jewellery from a house on Kirkstone Road in Harrogate.

It happened between 5.30pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday February 17.  Access was gained to the house through a back window.

The items stolen included a gold wedding ring, a gold engagement ring with platinum diamonds and an Armani watch.

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Police are appealing for information about any discarded items or suspicious behaviour in the area of Kirkstone Road and/or Coniston Road around the same time.

Officers would also like to hear from anyone who has any CCTV or dash-cam or doorbell camera footage that may have captured something.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Xavi Lopez or email xavi.lopez@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12210061627.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning and happy Friday. Welcome back to our traffic and travel service to help the Harrogate district keep moving.

Whether you travel by car, bus or train we will keep an eye out for any possible disruption to your journey.

It’s Connor again back on the travel desk from 6.30am. Spotted an accident or a road closure? Send your updates to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

If traffic is moving well or it’s at a standstill then we will let you know with our updates every 15 minutes.

Full update – 9am

Thanks again for your interest in the traffic and travel live blog. My colleague Suzannah will pick it up first thing on Monday morning so come back at 6.30am then.

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https://twitter.com/harrogatebus/status/1362667270812631042

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Twelve more weeks of road closures for Harlow Hill

Residents on Harlow Hill in Harrogate face another 12 weeks of roadworks as water supplies are connected to new housing developments on Whinney Lane.

Yorkshire Water began the work last week and, on Monday, wrote to residents telling them the rolling project will last into May.

Beginning from Otley Road, crews will install new pipes along roads through to Whinney Lane, expecting to complete the project around May 7.

Work on Whinney Lane itself is set to last for nine weeks from March 1. It follows news that the existing seven-month closure, being carried out as part of construction work for homes at Castle Hill Farm, will likely over-run beyond its predicted February 28 end because of recent bad weather.

David Siddans, of Harrogate and Pannal Ash Residents’ Association (HAPARA), said:

“A major concern is that extremely short notice of this work was given to residents with a letter received a day or so after work began in the Pannal Ash roundabout area.

“The residents of Whinney Lane in particular have had to suffer ongoing disruption and roadworks since the Mulgrave development of 40 houses began over a year ago.”

The Yorkshire Water work is set to be completed in phases. Harlow Crescent, Beckwith Avenue, Beckwith Walk, Beckwith Crescent and Beckwith Road will all be affected for between two and four weeks, in short stretches along each road.

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said:

“The work taking place from Otley Road to Whinney Lane is essential to support new housing developments in the area and also to increase resilience on our clean water network during periods of peak demand.

“We know that road closures can be inconvenient and our teams may occasionally need to work during evenings and weekends – but we’ll do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum and complete the work as quickly as possible.

“In order to carry out this work safely, we’ll need to close short sections of road whilst we’re working in the highway. These closures will move as our work progresses and access will be available for residents either side of our works – however, there’ll be no vehicular access through the working area.”

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With a second construction site by Stonebridge already in progress and around 700 more homes and business premises set to be built on a neighbouring site under the local plan, along with more homes already constructed along nearby Otley Road, Mr Siddans said HAPARA was “extremely concerned” about the inevitable further disruption.

“We are well aware of the huge infrastructure implications of this planned massive urban expansion which involves not only utilities services but also, critically, transport infrastructure.

“HAPARA is part of the Western Arc Coordination Group which is lobbying the county and district councils for a comprehensive set of measures to accompany housing developments.”