A blanket 20mph speed limit across the south side of Harrogate is “urgently needed”, a councillor has said.
The proposal would see all streets between York Place and the southern edge of Harrogate limited to 20mph.
The petition has been set up by parents Hazel Peacock and Vicki Evans, who founded the Oatlands Road Safety and Active Travel Campaign. They say it is vital to ensure children can travel to and from school in safety.
The pair presented the case to councillors on Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency area committee yesterday.
Ms Peacock told councillors that the group wanted “safer streets for the community” and pointed out that the petition had already reached 700 signatures.
She said:
“Maximum speed limits of 20 miles per hour have been delivered in other rural and urban areas of Yorkshire and the UK including Calderdale, Cornwall, Oxford, Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders and London with positive effects.”
Read more:
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- Hundreds sign petition for 20mph limit across south Harrogate
She highlighted recent crashes on Beechwood Grove and on Yew Tree Lane, where two teenagers from Rossett School were seriously injured and required hospital treatment.
In the wake of the incident on February 2, headteachers from almost every primary and secondary school in the area met at Harrogate Grammar School to urge representatives of North Yorkshire County Council to take action.
During the meeting, Cllr John Mann, who represents Oatlands and Pannal, said he backed the proposal and described it as being “urgently needed”.
He said:
“I support the Oatlands road safety petition.
“I have written to the head of highways and the cabinet member for highways saying that I support the petition.
“I have also called for Yew Tree Lane, Green Lane, Hookstone Road and Beechwood Grove to have 20mph speed limits.
“In my view, as a member for the area, this change is urgently needed to improve road safety and reduce air pollution.”
Melissa Burnham, area highways manager for the county council, said the authority was meeting with the group to discuss the proposals.
Next week, the group is due to meet again – this time at St Aidan’s Church of England High School – and will be joined by a caseworker for Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, as well as the county council’s transport lead, Cllr Keane Duncan, and local councillors whose divisions are affected.
The meeting of more than 30 people will follow a walk around the Pannal Ash area led by the parents, for councillors and school representatives to discuss the issues.
