Readers’ Letters: Driving around Harrogate is becoming difficult and slow

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.

This week, we’ve collated some of our readers’ comments left in the comments section of our website.

This reader wrote in after reading a letter published in a previous column. The letter bemoaned the congestion on Harrogate’s roads - this reader shares the frustration.

You published an excellent letter recently, decrying the size and number of big cars in Harrogate. 

Driving around our beautiful town is becoming difficult and slow, with the increased threat of danger on streets such as Cold Bath Road. Pedestrians are also impacted more and more.

Does anyone know the population of the town? Or how many cars there are? Housebuilding continues unabated, so the problem will only get worse.

Perhaps our MP or local councillors can suggest measures to cope with the situation. A local tax or some similar charge could have an effect.

Barbara Coultas, Harrogate 

Wheelie bin woes

This letter follows a story on changes to waste collection. As part of the changes, local households could get up to four wheelie bins each.

I recently have raised the issue of wheelie bins partially, or even totally, blocking pavements to the detriment of pedestrians.

Before covid, the bins were kept in one place at the rear of the properties and were collected from there. Sensible.

But then covid hit and the bins started to appear on the pavement, which causes them to be partly blocked. When I raised this with the council, I was told that they could only "advise" residents to return to the pre-covid arrangement.

They went on to say that they were considering bringing in the appropriate powers to force residents to be more considerate with their bin storage. Why, therefore, have they not acted?

Yet again, it seems to be a case of left and right hand.

Bernard White, Ripon

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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