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27
Jan 2022
First section of Otley Road cycle lane due to be finished this week
Work on the first phase of the new Otley Road cycle lane in Harrogate is due to be completed this week.
North Yorkshire County Council blamed "severe weather" for delaying the completion of the initial section between Harlow Moor Road and Arthurs Avenue before Christmas.
Last week it said it would be completed by February 21 but in a further update this week it said it will be ready on Friday.
The Stray Ferret has been sent footage of a cyclist travelling downhill along the route towards Cold Bath Road last weekend.
Much of the route is shared with pedestrians, which was one of several points flagged up in a blog by Hedgehog Cycling, which says shared use is not appropriate on urban streets. Some businesses have expressed similar concerns.
The blog, which covers cycling in Yorkshire, also raises concerns about the width of the route in some sections, saying it measures 93cm in one area — below the 150cm minimum requirement.
But it hails the cycleway priority at side roads, such as Pannal Ash Drive and Hill Rise Close, as "the biggest improvement over previous North Yorkshire pavement cycling efforts".
Another cycling group, Harrogate District Cycle Action, has urged people to hold judgement until the entire route is completed.
Read more:
- Don’t judge Otley Road cycle path until its complete, says campaign group
- ‘Severe weather’ delays Otley Road cycle path in Harrogate
What happens now?
Construction of the second phase, which will cover Harlow Moor Road to Beech Grove, is due to start in April. There is still no timescale for phase three.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire County Council said:
A cyclist sent in this video of the cycle lane to give others an idea of what to expect. What do you make of the layout?
https://youtu.be/OhYL2SEdoDo
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