A new bypass for Killinghall could cost in excess of £20 million, county council officers have said.
The project would come as part of a plan proposed by North Yorkshire County Council to tackle congestion in the Harrogate district.
Councillors on the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Committee heard the proposals at a meeting today, along with other measures to cut traffic.
It comes after the county council conducted a study in 2019 to find ways to ease congestion in the district.
Initial proposals included building the bypass along with a western relief road. However, that idea has now been taken off the table and a standalone bypass has been suggested.
Allan McVeigh, senior highways officer at the authority, told the committee that the project is estimated to cost “in excess of £20 million”.
Read more:
- Three Harrogate cycling schemes to share £1m government funding
- £9.8m upgrade of Knaresborough to Poppleton rail route complete
- Killinghall bypass proposed as part of plans to tackle congestion
But he added that the figure was a “high level estimate” at the moment and more work needed to be done on the scheme if it were to be taken forward.
A report before the committee said the current bypass proposal would cost less to construct than the relief road and would offer “high value for money”.
Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, speaking before the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Committee.
Meanwhile, concern was raised from residents and campaign groups over cycle routes and the increase in flow of traffic into Harrogate as part of the project.
Rod Beardshall, of Zero Carbon Harrogate, called on the county council to oppose the plan. He added that “all non-road solutions for Killinghall should be considered before a bypass.”.
In response to concerns, Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the authority, said a bypass was necessary to remove congestion from the “fastest growing village in the county”.
He added that the scheme would include active travel measures, such as cycle routes..
He said:
“We have a duty to respond to the many residents and local members who feel that they want to take some of this traffic out of their village.
“That includes 44-tonne lorries which could not be replaced by a person walking or cycling. That is why we firmly believe that certainly further consideration of a bypass to take this traffic out of the village is needed.”
The bypass is set to be added to the county council’s list of major schemes, which would require funding from the Department for Transport.
