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01
Aug
New-look £12.1 million Harrogate Station Gateway fails to impress
New images and details of the revised £12.1 million Harrogate Station Gateway have failed to convince local groups and individuals of the merits of the scheme.
The Stray Ferret asked organisations representing cyclists, businesses and residents to respond to yesterday's update by North Yorkshire Council, which we reported here.
The latest proposals include a short southbound cycle lane on Station Parade, a new bus lane and public realm improvements to Station Square and One Arch pedestrian tunnel. The taxi rank will remain on Station Parade.
The full designs remain secret, even though work is expected to start next month.
But the new images appear to indicate the loading bays opposite the bus station on Station Parade will vanish, which alarmed Sophie Hartley, owner of the boutique Sophie Likes, which has a front entrance on Beulah Street and rear entrance on Station Parade.
The loading bays on Station Parade.
Ms Hartley said:
Whilst I am sure there will be some improvements, I don’t think there is a huge problem in the first place so it seems like a lot of disruption that is expensive and unnecessary.
We along with other businesses near us rely on the loading bay for deliveries and collections by ourselves and others too. It is one of the reasons we chose the location as the other side on Beulah Street is pedestrianised and has limited vehicle access.
This will therefore provide another hurdle in an already challenging environment.
Shops on the street suffered a power cut when we visited yesterday, and Ms Hartley said:
I think that sums it all up really — the power went off because of roadworks on Station Parade, a frequent occurrence I am sure if the project goes ahead. You saw how disruptive it can be to a small business trying to operate.
The project is centred on Station Parade.
North Yorkshire Council will present its much-awaited designs to a meeting of Harrogate Business Improvement District and Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce on September 3. It is not clear when they will be released to the public.
A spokesperson for the BID, which represents businesses in the town, said it had to “stay impartial” as members had different opinions but added:
We welcome this transparency with the Harrogate business community and look forward to discussing and supporting future plans and investment to our town centre. It goes without saying we of course need these plans and investment to result in a positive impact and champion Harrogate as the jewel in Yorkshire’s crown.
A north facing visual of how Station Parade will look.
Cyclists says scheme 'diluted to point of little value'
A spokesperson for Harrogate District Cycle Action, which encourages safe cycling, said the gateway had metamorphosised from its original purpose. They said:
Station Gateway started out as a transformative sustainable transport scheme, but the sustainable transport aspects have been diluted to the point that they are of little value.
Increasing the throughput of vehicles along Station Parade was never the purpose of the funding, but that is now the main objective of the scheme.
From a cycling point of view, it is only a one-way cycle track. The council needs to explain how people can get to and from the station by bike, otherwise they will have failed. So far they have not done so.
Harrogate District Cycle Action proposed how it would tackle the situation in a recent post here on its website.
The spokesperson added it was the group’s understanding that the new cycle route will be protected from traffic by a kerb.
'We need to see the full plans'
Harrogate resident Barry Adams, who has raised numerous concerns about the scheme, including the lack of transparency, and suggested an alternative cycle route on East Parade, remained unimpressed.
Mr Adams questioned why the plans are still secret, even though work is due to get underway in autumn, and said it would be “undemocratic” to proceed without another public consultation. He said:
Looking at the first visual in the article I find it hard to understand how they are going to fit everything in - footpath, cycle lane, two lanes of traffic, taxi ranks, etc. The cycle lane starts nowhere and finishes nowhere. A number of us still say the East Parade option is much more suitable as it can link up easier to existing cycleways.
We need full plans and details to be able to comment properly.
Mr Adams also expressed concerns about the lack of information on Station Square and whether there would be any loss of on-street parking. He said:
I just cannot see how it is going to transform this key area of town as (council transport chief) Keane Duncan claims. How will it boost access to the rail and bus stations? How is it of significant benefit for all transport users? I still say it is a total waste of money and a vanity project for North Yorkshire Council that they do not know how to press the escape button on.
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