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24
Dec
43 active travel staff but joint lowest rating: What is North Yorkshire Council doing to improve?
North Yorkshire Council received a blow this month (December) when it was again ranked among the worst performing local authorities in Active Travel England’s capability ratings for 2025.
The Conservative-run council received a level one rating — the same as last year.
Of 80 local authorities assessed, 39 were rated level one, 30 were rated level two and 11 were rated level three. None were rated either zero or four — the lowest and highest.
Councils with low ratings have been warned to expect less funding from Active Travel England, which could hamper plans to develop walking, wheeling and cycling in North Yorkshire.
Councillor Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East on the council, described the rating as a “wake-up call” and said the council “risks being left behind”.
Of the council’s 545 full-time equivalent staff working on transport, 43 are employed on active travel, which has a £43 million annual budget.
The Stray Ferret asked the council why its rating was so low. A spokesperson said:
A key element of increasing ratings is through the delivery of more complex, high-quality schemes. Over the past five years, we have received relatively limited investment from Active Travel England – £2.7m across seven funding rounds. This funding has shaped our priorities with a focus on less complex and lower cost schemes, following guidance from Active Travel England, including new crossings, pedestrian improvements, School Streets and small sections of cycling infrastructure, which have been and are being delivered successfully.
Asked how it hoped to improve its rating, the spokesperson said:
Active Travel England has been clear that progressing beyond level one will require authorities to successfully deliver more complex projects. The next capability ratings assessment is scheduled for 2027. By that point, the delivery of more complex schemes funded through the Transforming Cities Fund, the Active Travel Fund, and the Local Transport Grant allocation should provide the evidence needed to hopefully secure a higher rating.
Self-assessment
Active Travel England asks councils to complete a self-assessment for the ratings. North Yorkshire Council marked itself at level two, which the government body then downgraded.
The council’s submission, which you can read here, said it had made “significant progress across all areas” and cited spending £808,000 on Victoria Avenue in Harrogate as evidence of one of three successful active travel schemes delivered in the last 12 months.
The submission added:
“North Yorkshire Council’s capability ratings submission highlights a strong track record in active travel delivery over the past three years, underpinned by a comprehensive network plan featuring 10 local cycling and walking infrastructure plans and clearly defined priority corridors. It showcases the introduction of new policies/approaches, strong leadership support for active travel schemes, a firm commitment to high-quality design standards, and clear evidence of ongoing professional development through relevant training undertaken by both members and officers.”
We asked Cllr Malcolm Taylor, the coucnil's Conservative executive member for highways, whether he was concerned about the low capability rating, but he has not commented.
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