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06
Mar
Funding announced for four major transport schemes in Harrogate district
Three major cycling projects and a resurfacing of part of the A61 have been identified as priority transport schemes in the Harrogate district in 2026/27.
North Yorkshire Council received £13.79 million from the Department for Transport’s local transport grant.
The council today (March 6) published a list of the projects it intends to spend the funding on.
In the Harrogate district, they include four schemes worth a combined £3,360,000.
Of the four, three are cycling initiatives worth a combined £2,880,000.
The schemes are:
- £980,000 on extending a planned cycle route along Pannal Ash Road, which will link to the existing Otley Road cycle route in Harrogate.
- £980,000 on extending the cycle route on Otley Road to provide a continuous link to Beckwithshaw.
- £420,000 on resurfacing and maintaining cycle routes in Harrogate and Knaresborough
- £980,000 on a major resurfacing scheme of the A61 Ripon Road at Ripley.
Extending the Otley Road cycle route has long been regarded as a priority to cater for thousands of new homes being built in the area.
However, only one of three sections of the original cycle route along Otley Road have been built so far.
'More ambitious transport projects'
The Department for Transport confirmed local transport grant allocations in September 2025.
It said at the time “this simplified, long-term and consolidated funding will enable local authorities to deliver more ambitious transport projects”.
The funding was distributed to York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, which then allocated sums to North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council.
A council report published today announcing the allocations says the “proposed budgets are based on works costs, plus an assumption for preliminary costs, design costs and wider overheads”.
Of the £13.79 million given to North Yorkshire Council, the largest single allocation is £3,046,000 for measures such as road safety, traffic signals renewals, accessibility improvements and maintenance of active travel infrastructure across North Yorkshire.
None of the other individual projects exceed £1 million in value.
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