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27
Oct 2022
Harrogate road closure means 1.4-mile detour for walkers and cyclists
A section of a busy Harrogate road is to be closed for up to a year to allow work to begin on a 133-home housing scheme.
Kingsley Road will be completely sealed off beyond the junction with Kingsley Drive up to the bridge leading to Bogs Lane.
It means people travelling along Kingsley Road will be unable to get to Bogs Lane without a lengthy 1.4-mile detour on to the main A59 Knaresborough Road.
Pedestrians, dog walkers and cyclists, who use the route to get to the bridge going down to the shared off-road walking and cycling route to Bilton, will also be affected.
The bridge leading down to the pedestrian and cycle route.
Jenny Mills, who lives in the area, said
Read more:
- Final approval for 133 Harrogate homes
- Starbeck and Bilton community libraries set for 10-year council deal
North Yorkshire County Council has issued a temporary prohibition of traffic order, which says the closure will come into force on November 7.
The order says "it is envisaged" to last until May 8 next year, but the maximum duration is 12 months.
A map showing the Kingsley Road detour.
Councillor seeks solution
Harrogate Borough Council granted final approval in July for Redrow to build 133 homes on Kingsley Road, in what will be the latest development in the Kingsley area.
Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley on North Yorkshire County Council, said he planned to hold talks with Redrow to see if access for walkers and cyclists could be maintained for some periods while work is carried out.
Cllr Aldred said the road closure would stop the route being used as a "rat run" by motorists trying to avoid the A59 Knaresborough Road and there were long-term plans to close it permanently to through traffic.
But he said those plans involved maintaining non-vehicular access and he couldn't see why this couldn't also be achieved now.
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