Readers' Letters: Nidderdale Greenway extension would be value for money

Readers’ Letters is a free 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. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Last week, the Stray Ferret published an article on a council report into the viability of an extension to the Nidderdale Greenway. Here is what our readers had to say.

Even at £8 million it would seem like good value for money. The existing greenway is great and well used, so an extension all the way along Nidderdale could only be good.

Richard Johnson

An extension will bring more tourism which brings revenue and the health benefits of an extension could lower NHS costs - both of which would offset the investment of an extension- it would be a major improvement to Harrogate and Nidderdale

Butch Johnson

'The car is king'

This week, the Stray Ferret featured an article about the mother of a boy who was seriously injured walking to school in Harrogate saying she is now too scared about road safety to let his younger brother walk to school. Our readers gave their thoughts.

As I have commented many times before, in Harrogate (sadly) the attitude seems to be that “the car is king”.

Christopher Smith

Sad fact is that it takes a pedestrian death on A61 Harrogate/Killinghall border for ‘our’ authorities to magic up £50,000 with token road safety measures in 2025. Traffic still thunders through at 50/60 mph in this bus stop area, No one cares. Latest NYC policy is not to replace old or failed VAS speed operated road signs. Local parishes must adopt and pay for replacements. No one cares.

Christopher Dunn

Questions over Rotary Club meeting

I'm not quite sure why the Rotary Club feel it's their job to have private meetings with Harrogate Spring Water and to influence the Section 106 agreement. Are they really qualified to say - as they did - that the agreement is robust and the short-term losses will be off-set by long-term gains? 

In the SF last week, Rotary Club's spokesman says: "We’ve always said that if we can get a satisfactory Section 106 agreement, we would take a neutral role and not object."  

But that's operating outside the system. If you've got an objection, you should say so in the usual consultation format. Then it's for the council to take that position and make sure it's addressed in the process. By not objecting, Rotary are actually supporting. Their 'negotiations' hold no sway. They're a trusted institution offering public commentary weighted in favour of development and growth. That looks a lot like undue influence to me. 

Rotary Club do some great work in the community - but there is potential for them to do harm by interfering in the democratic process.

Benjamin Tyler, Knaresborough

Do you have 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.

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