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.

Last week we published a selection of emails from readers who were upset that the Harrogate’s Station Gateway plans were approved by councillors – in response to these we received emails from readers who support the plans.  

Let there be one letter at least in support of this initiative.

Harrogate residents voted AGAINST a bypass and FOR schemes to reduce traffic congestion and support alternative methods of transport and walking.
Since then, vocal minorities have acted AGAINST any such innovation or suggestion (Beech Grove, Otley Road, Oatlands Drive etc. etc.).
Remember the long battle to establish cycling on a couple of Stray paths. Does anyone now think that was a bad idea ? Plenty did at the time.
Remember how West Park Stray was ‘ruined for ever’ in 2019 ? It looks magnificent now.
It’s time to put more ideas into action to benefit us and the planet. The Gateway has been discussed over and over so to discuss it further is pointless. There’ll never be a perfect scheme to suit everyone, but I believe genuine improvements will result.
Certainly the generations to come will not thank us if we keep doing nothing.
Peter Lawley, Harrogate resident, car driver, walker, cyclist and optimist

As it looks likely that the Station gateway will go ahead isn’t the time now to plan for Park and Ride service’s to be made available on all main roads into the town?

Paul Smith, Knaresborough 

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Many of the negative views about the Station Gateway scheme are outdated and unrealistic.

Town centres are changing. They have to adapt. Retail as it once was is dying and it’s futile to pretend otherwise. People are increasingly shopping online, retail outlets are closing down, and empty units are often replaced by coffee shops. Why is that a bad thing? Coffee shops and cafes are more sociable in nature. It is far better that the space is used productively than an empty shell.

The other argument I’ve heard against the gateway project is that it will cause more traffic problems. Consider that Cheltenham Parade, part of the same route, is largely a single lane, until it fans out into two lanes approaching the traffic lights before the Bus Station. This is exactly the same arrangement as is being proposed at the traffic lights by the Everyman. The flows will remain the same.

It’s time to promote active travel and encourage people to walk, cycle or use public transport more, instead of relying on a car parking spot right outside a particular shop.

Harrogate isn’t going to wither away because it’s been nudged into being a place where it’s more pleasant to walk around. Since when were exhaust fumes a contributor to our excellent spa town?

Stu Mitchell

I for one am very pleased with the decision made by the Councillors. I think it will be a big improvement to the street scene and encourage people to come into what is otherwise an uninspiring town.

The democratic process is through Councillors who your residents had a chance to vote for last year.

Your critic of the proposals who asked about the Ouseburn Councillor voting must have been asleep for the last few years, because that’s how democracy works. We have an MP and Government that do not represent my views, but we have to accept that.

Nigel Hunt