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23
May 2023
Councillor outlines plans for new train station in Harrogate
A Harrogate councillor has outlined plans to open a train station at Claro Road.
Cllr Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on North Yorkshire Council, said the station would service up to 700 commuters daily and remove thousands of car journeys on Skipton Road each week.
Besides the environmental benefits, Cllr Haslam said it would also bring economic and social benefits to the relatively deprived Bilton and Woodfield area.
The train line at Bilton
He said the station, which would be situated somewhere near the iron bridge that links Claro and Bilton, should be accompanied by cycle storage and a small supermarket.
With the new North Yorkshire Council unlikely to be able to fund such a major scheme, Cllr Haslam suggested it could apply to the UK government for funding from a public transport decarbonisation programme or an economic development grant.
Cllr Paul Haslam
He likened it to the Harrogate Station Gateway, which is being funded with £10.6 million from a Department for Transport active travel scheme.
Cllr Haslam acknowledged the scheme was more of a "vision rather than a mapped out idea" but added:
Read more:
- Harrogate councillor appointed county’s climate champion
- Harrogate Station Gateway: new report reveals financial risks
He added the station would link to the Nidderdale greenway, which would encourage cycling and walking, boost the nearby business park and benefit two nearby schools — Harrogate High School and St Robert's Catholic Primary School.
Cllr Haslam added:
Cllr Haslam was appointed as North Yorkshire climate champion last week.
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