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07
Oct
‘Think again’: Ripon leaders challenge controversial traffic plan
Plans to ban drivers from turning right at a major Ripon junction are facing a challenge from city councillors, who say the proposal could push more traffic into already congested streets.
A formal public consultation on the plans is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
The changes are being proposed as part of measures to manage traffic generated by the 1,300-home Clotherhome development on the former Ministry of Defence barracks site to the west of the city.
One of the key proposals would prevent eastbound vehicles travelling along Somerset Row from turning right into Low Skellgate.
Drivers would instead have to use alternative routes, increasing traffic on Water Skellgate, King Street and Bondgate.
North Yorkshire Council has proposed improvements to the Bondgate and Dallamires Lane junction to help deal with the additional traffic.
But Ripon mayor Andrew Williams said this would not tackle the “root cause” of the city’s traffic problems.
Speaking at Monday’s (October 5) meeting of Ripon City Council, Cllr Williams proposed writing to North Yorkshire Council and developer Homes England to ask them to “look again at their traffic management plan”.
He wants them to consider replacing the traffic lights at the Somerset Row/Low Skellgate junction with a roundabout.
Ripon City Council's meeting on October 5, 2026.
Cllr Williams, who leads the city council’s Independent Putting Ripon Before Party Politics group, said this could improve traffic flow and make the junction better for pedestrians.
He pointed to changes at Bond End in Knaresborough, where traffic lights were replaced with a double mini roundabout.
He said:
I do think North Yorkshire Council and Homes England need to take another look at this matter because they think their approach is a sensible one. There are better alternatives that this council have previously recommended and been ignored.
'Gridlocked'
Councillors unanimously backed his proposal.
Cllr Pauline McHardy, a Liberal Democrat, said the city was already struggling with congestion.
“Our city is gridlocked because of Firby Lane and Mallorie Park Drive, and traffic on Harrogate Road from about 4pm to 6pm. You can hardly get through the city,” she said.
North Yorkshire Council highways development and adoption engineer Ged Lyth told the city council that a series of traffic regulation orders and traffic-calming measures had been identified in consultation with Homes England to mitigate the impact of traffic generated by the Ripon barracks development.
The measures are being prepared ahead of the formal public consultation, which is expected to begin in the coming weeks. :
The Bondgate and Dallamires Lane junction.
What this means for drivers
What is being proposed?
Eastbound traffic on Somerset Row would be prevented from turning right into Low Skellgate.
More traffic would be directed towards Water Skellgate, King Street and Bondgate.
North Yorkshire Council says improvements at Bondgate/Dallamires Lane would help mitigate the impact.
Ripon councillors are asking for an alternative approach involving a roundabout at Somerset Row/Low Skellgate.
A formal public consultation is expected in the coming weeks.
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