Harrogate residents will hand in a petition today opposing the Station Gateway on the final day of consultation on the £10.9 million scheme.
Members of Granvillle Road Area Residents Association organised the signatures in response to fears that re-routing the A61 will increase traffic in nearby residential streets, such as Granville Road, Back Granville Road, Mount Parade, Back Cheltenham Mount and Strawberry Dale Avenue.
Rachael Inchboard, a member of the association, said about 200 of the 250 homes affected by the changes had signed the petition, which will be presented to Harrogate Borough Council.
After the consultation ends, councils supporting the initiative, led by North Yorkshire County Council, are expected to produce a final report summarising consultation outcomes and outlining the next steps.
Businesses in the town are considering applying for a judicial review to halt the scheme.
Read more:
- Harrogate businesses consider legal challenge to Station Gateway
- Station Gateway: the story so far of the £10.9m scheme
- Harrogate residents form group to fight £10.9m Station Gateway
North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, the executive member for access, reiterated his support for the scheme. He said:
“I do not believe that the gateway scheme for Harrogate should now be dropped because of opposition from certain businesses.
“Whilst their views, and indeed the local town centre economy, are very important to us, there are also the views of many other sectors and persons to consider. The findings of the latest round of consultation will be important to us too, as are the many thousands of views expressed in the Harrogate congestion study public engagement.
“I have nothing further to say about legal action. If an individual wishes to begin such a process, we shall be ready to respond.”
What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?
The Harrogate scheme is one of three projects worth a combined £42m in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund, which encourages cycling and walking.
They are being delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Craven District Council and Selby District Council.
A consultation on the revised designs ends today. It is anticipated that work in Harrogate will begin by the middle of next year.
