A public consultation is due to be held in March on plans to install two pedestrian and cyclist crossings in Harrogate.
North Yorkshire County Council announced plans in December 2022 to spend £75,000 on creating a crossing at the junction of Wetherby Road and Slingsby Walk.
It said the move could “double the number of people using a popular cycling and walking route” alongside the Stray.
In April last year Cllr Keane Duncan, the executive councillor for highways at North Yorkshire Council, which succeeded the county council, said the scheme was in its design phase and on track to be completed in the financial year ending on March 31.
With the deadline approaching, and no sign of work taking place, the Stray Ferret asked the council for an update.
Melisa Burnham, the council’s highways area manager, said there were plans for two Harrogate crossings, with the second planned on Oatlands Drive.
Oatlands Drive
The Stray Ferret reported in October 2022 on a council survey to make cycling safer in the Oatlands area after a bid to make it one-way to traffic was abandoned following a public backlash. But plans for a crossing at this location have only now been revealed.
Ms Burnham said:
“The crossing schemes at Wetherby Road and Oatlands Drive are considered priority projects and will play an important role in our ambition to encourage more people to walk and cycle.
“Funding is in place and it is our intention to begin work on them as soon as we can.
“In an effort to speed up the process we have been developing designs ahead of a public consultation which we anticipate will take place in March.
“In addition to liaising with stakeholders and other interested parties, we have also been speaking to potential contractors so that, when the go-ahead is given, we are in a position to begin construction as soon as is practicable.”
The campaign group Harrogate District Cycle Action met council officers last week.
Gia Margolis, a member of the group, said it “continued to challenge North Yorkshire Council on the number of cancelled or abandoned cycle schemes which has wasted all recent funding bids”.
She added:
“Much of the current work does not include any new cycle schemes and of course this is disappointing.
“However there is a great deal of work being done to make crossings for cyclists and pedestrians safer. These include the Wetherby Road crossing and Oatlands Drive. Both require agreement with the Duchy of Lancaster and positive engagement has taken place.”
Ms Margolis added the group was pleased with plans to upgrade the “very busy cycle path behind Rossett School”.
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