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20
Feb 2022
Stray Views is a 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.
The Otley Road cycle path totally disregards this and other aspects of the guidelines. This cycle path is sub-standard; it benefits no-one, not cyclists, not pedestrians, not residents, anything but an example of good design.
I have been criticised by cycling lobbyists for advocating infrastructure that meets modern standards. Being an Otley Road resident, I observe at first hand, much more than the cycling groups or North Yorkshire County Council in Northallerton, what happens on this road. I have much more contact with local residents; the overwhelming opinion, regarding what has happened to our local environment is not favourable.
Everything done by NYCC penalises pedestrians. Pedestrians do not like sharing pavements with cycles passing close by, often unheard. Segregated cycle paths, benefit both the cyclist and the pedestrian. So for a better sustainable transport system, we need much more involvement of local people and wider engagement - why does NYCC exclude residents?
We need this involvement to be fair to all and to get some consensus into this subject. We need to involve other means of transport, e.g. improvements in bus services, park and ride, improvements for pedestrians.
The nature of the existing built environment and maintaining a green environment in a floral town needs to be taken into account too. I fear otherwise Harrogate will only be changed for the worse not the better.
Chris Dicken, Otley Road, Harrogate
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