In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we’re looking at road safety.
The issue of road safety came under the Stray Ferret’s spotlight a lot this year.
With several fatal and serious crashes, campaigns for 20mph speed limit zones and “landmark” road safety packages, it has been a year of ups and downs on our highways.
20mph speed limits
Pannal Ash and Oatlands
A collision that left two school students with serious injuries prompted a group of Harrogate parents to bolster plans to implement 20mph speed zones around parts of the town.
The incident, which happened in February, left two 15-year-old Rossett School pupils requiring several operations and hospital treatment for months after.
Following the collision, the group, who were already campaigning for such change, amped up their efforts.
They set up a petition, which called for a ‘safe streets zone’, consisting of a blanket 20mph speed limit across the Rossett, Pannal Ash, Oatlands, Woodlands and Hookstone areas.
It attracted more than 900 signatures and caught the attention of 13 education leader and local councillors, who joined forces with the group and urged North Yorkshire Council to take action.
The petition was delivered to the council in May.
Hazel Peacock, who spearheaded the campaign and delivered the petition on behalf of the group, told the Stray Ferret on the day:
“We’re just delighted we’ve got this number of signatures. It shows the support for the proposal of this change, which could bring such positive benefits from a road safety perspective.
“Once you have that, it will change people’s attitudes in regard to comfort around walking, cycling and mobility users.”
The road safety group.
Woodfield Road
The council also recommended a separate 20mph speed limit plan for Woodfield Road in the Bilton area of Harrogate.
The project, funded through the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s AJ1 project road safety fund, will see the introduction of traffic calming measures, including speed cushions and a 20mph speed limit.
Cllr Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, told the Stray Ferret in November the measures were being taken “for the safety of children” ahead of the former Woodfield Road Community Primary School re-opening.
The school, which closed at the end of last year, is due to reopen as a secondary school for 80 autistic children in September 2024.
No further updates have been revealed since publication.
‘Landmark’ package unveiled
Following calls for change, North Yorkshire Council unveiled plans for the county’s largest ever “landmark” 20mph zone in September.
It proposed extensive reduced speed limit zones across the Pannal Ash and Oatlands areas of the town, which included Arthurs Avenue, Oatlands Drive, Yew Tree Lane and Cromwell Road.
It covered seven Harrogate schools in line with the parents’ wishes.
These were Harrogate Grammar School, Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School, Ashville College, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Oatlands Junior School and Oatlands Infants School.
Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for highways and transport, said at the time:
“This is the most significant 20mph zone the council has ever introduced.
“Our plan will see 20mph limits introduced outside seven more schools and on nearby residential streets, meaning thousands of children can enjoy safer journeys every day.
“This landmark proposal is testament to the collective determination of schools, families and councillors to respond to public concerns and deliver ambitious action. It sets a positive example and leads the way for communities across North Yorkshire.”
Cllr Keane Duncan.
Headteacher called for Otley Road to be included
After the package was announced, Neil Renton, headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School (HGS), called for a section of Otley Road to also be included in the 20mph zone.
Arthurs Avenue and surrounding side roads were set to be included in the reduced speed limit zone to protect HGS pupils, however Mr Renton said the zone should be extended to include the busy B6162 Otley Road where pupils enter the school.
He said this is a key route in-and-out of town and currently has a limit of 30mph.
The call came after council officers published a report ahead of a Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency meeting, during which Mr Renton’s concerns were expressed, which stated the “volume of traffic” on the road would mean it would not be possible to implement the 20mph speed limit.
Plans rejected
Despite hopes of change from teachers, councillors and campaigners, North Yorkshire Council rejected plans to include some of the main roads in the 20mph zone.
Following a December meeting, it appeared Leeds Road, Wetherby Road, Otley Road, Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, York Place and Leadhall Lane would not be included in the plan.
A report due before Cllr Duncan said the main roads were either identified as “strategic distributor” or “main distributor” roads, adding:
“Practically given the recognised role in the strategic network and their function to carry high volumes of traffic between primary destinations it is not considered appropriate to implement physical traffic calming features and an associated speed reduction to 20mph.”
Meanwhile, the council said Leadhall Lane “does not have identified destination points such as schools, shops or sports centre” and a 20mph limit would be “difficult to achieve”.
A map of the 20mph areas in Pannal and Oatlands. Picture: North Yorkshire Council.
‘Incredibly disappointed’
Christopher Harrison, headteacher at Oatlands Infant School, said he was “incredibly disappointed” with the news.
He hoped the council would reconsider and reduce the speed limit on Hookstone Road to 20mph from 30mph, adding:
“As headteacher of Oatlands Infant School, I am incredibly disappointed by the decision to keep Hookstone Road at 30mph.
“We have a healthy, active school community who love to walk, cycle and scooter to school alongside Hookstone Road on a daily basis.
“We worry that the current speed limit of 30mph is not safe enough for our children, and that a reduction to 20mph would enable more families to travel to school in safety. We hope that North Yorkshire Council reconsider this decision with our youngest, most vulnerable members of our community in mind.”
But Mr Harrison was not alone in his concern, as campaigner Hazel Peacock also urged the council to reconsider. She said:
“For the safety and well-being of the 9,000 school children and the wider community in Oatlands and Pannal Ash we urge North Yorkshire Council to reconsider the inclusion of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, Leadhall Lane, part of Leeds Rd (A61), Otley Rd (B6162), Wetherby Road (A661) and York Place (A6040) as 20mph in the Harrogate (south and west) 20mph Speed Limit review to be considered by Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transportation and mayoral candidate, on Monday 18th December.
“Without the inclusion of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, Otley Road and part of Wetherby Road specifically only five of the nine schools in the zone will be fully covered with 20mph roads immediately surrounding them; leaving St John Fishers Catholic High School and Willow Tree Primary School on 30mph roads and a combination of 30mph and 20mph in the case of Harrogate Grammar School and Oatlands Infant School.”
Next steps
The authority recommended the scheme, which is estimated to cost £200,000, proceed to consultation on traffic regulation orders for the areas proposed to be reduced to 20mph.
The recommendation was approved following an environmental meeting on Monday, December 18.
The council said in its decision:
“Approval given to allow officers to proceed; with the necessary consultations and Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process to seek to implement a 20mph speed limit, together with associated traffic calming measures as identified in the residential roads as outlined in Appendix A of the report and with signing and lining reviews of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive and Wetherby Road.”
It said officers are to provide the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee progress updates in Spring 2024.
The authority added:
“The recommendation aligns with several of the Council’s priorities linked with Highway Safety, Place and Environment and Health and Well Being.
“By introducing a reduced speed limit from 30mph to 20mph in these areas it is hoped that a safer and healthier environment will encourage enhanced active travel opportunities for all ages of the community, this may be walking, wheeling, accessibility to the bus or cycling.
“The introduction of such measures is subject to satisfactory consultation and the completion of the formal Traffic Regulation Order advertising process.”
A bad year for fatal collisions
The Harrogate district has seen several fatal crashes throughout this year, with one road becoming a common denominator in the incidents.
Four out of six fatal collisions happened on the A61, which runs between Ripon and Harrogate, two of which occurred within just eight days of each other.
A 59-year-old motorcyclist was killed on the road on August 29. Officers believe that the motorcyclist was travelling with a group of unknown motorcycles immediately before the collision and he was at the rear of the group.
Just a few days later, three members of a Ukrainian family were killed in a three-vehicle crash that involved a double decker bus on Sunday, September 3. A teenage girl was left orphaned.
Following the collisions, residents of South Stainley called for a speed limit reduction from 60mph to 50mph in October.
Rebecca Brewins, who lives alongside the road and lost her parents in a crash at South Stainley 11 years ago, led the campaign.
She and other residents met Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith, who subsequently urged North Yorkshire Council to act.
Richard Flinton, the council’s chief executive, indicated at the time the authority considered taking action.
In a letter to Mr Smith, seen by the Stray Ferret, Mr Flinton wrote:
“The reports for the recent fatal collisions are currently being drafted, but I am able to advise that the road environment was not considered to have been a factor in the cause of either fatal collision
“Therefore, the recommendations are limited to small scale localised improvements, such as the cleaning of road signs and refreshing of white lines.
“Nevertheless, in recognition of community concerns, North Yorkshire Council is currently carrying out a series of speed surveys along the A61, with a view to reducing the speed limit from 60mph to 50mph.
“Whilst mean speeds are unlikely to be excessive, the intention here is to set the expectations of the motorist, of the lack of overtaking opportunities, bends and other hazards associated with a high speed rural road.”
Police at the scene of the triple fatality on Sep 3 2023
Mr Flinton added the council was expected to consult on introducing a traffic regulation order to reduce the speed limit from the national default speed limit of 60mph.
He also said engineers will undertake “a full route analysis of the A61” to identify what else can be done to make the road safer.
Despite hopes of action being taken, another person was killed on the fated road just weeks later.
90-year-old Lucjan Wilk was hit by a car on the road, near Killinghall, after getting off the 36 bus.
His daughter, Paulina, whom he lived with, contacted the Stray Ferret to voice her concerns following her father’s death.
She urged North Yorkshire Council to reduce the speed limit on the “horrendous road”.
As well as suggesting a 30mph speed limit – instead of the current 40mph – Paulina also insisted the council should install proper lighting and introduce other traffic-calming measures, such as speed-indicator display signs.
It appears the requested measures are yet to come to fruition.
Lucjan Wilk was killed on the A61 near Killinghall.
Fatal collisions also happened on Brimham Rocks Road, near Pateley Bridge, North Park Road in Harrogate and the B6265 near Boroughbridge.
Read more:
- Police name victims of fatal A61 crash near Ripon
- Stray Views: Why no 20mph limit outside my children’s primary school?
Council rejects 20mph limit on main roads near Harrogate schools
North Yorkshire Council has rejected requests to reduce the speed limit on some main roads outside schools in Harrogate to 20mph.
A report due before Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for highways, will recommend creating a 20mph zone outside schools in the Pannal Ash and Oatlands area of the town.
The council announced plans for the “landmark” zone in September following a safety campaign by residents, councillors and schools.
The proposed area for the new zones included seven Harrogate schools. These are Harrogate Grammar School, Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School, Ashville College, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Oatlands Junior School and Oatlands Infants School.
It included roads such as Arthurs Avenue, Oatlands Drive, Yew Tree Lane and Cromwell Road.
But it now appears main routes Leeds Road, Wetherby Road, Otley Road, Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, York Place and Leadhall Lane will not be included in the plan.
A map of the 20mph areas in Pannal and Oatlands. Picture: NYC.
Neil Renton, headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School, told the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee in September he hoped Otley Road — where students enter the school — could be reduced to 20mph.
Read more:
- Harrogate Grammar School head says 20mph zone should include Otley Road
- Headteachers unite to support 20mph speed limit near Harrogate schools
But the report due before Cllr Duncan on December 18 says the main roads were identified as either “strategic distributor” or “main distributor” roads.
It added:
“Practically given the recognised role in the strategic network and their function to carry high volumes of traffic between primary destinations it is not considered appropriate to implement physical traffic calming features and an associated speed reduction to 20mph.”
Meanwhile, the council said Leadhall Lane “does not have identified destination points such as schools, shops or sports centre” and a 20mph limit would be “difficult to achieve”.
‘Incredibly disappointed’
Christopher Harrison, headteacher at Oatlands Infant School, said he was “incredibly disappointed” by the plans.
The school caters for pupils between the ages of four and seven.
Mr Harrison said he hoped the council would reconsider its proposals and reduce the speed limit on Hookstone Road from 30mph to 20mph.
He said:
“As headteacher of Oatlands Infant School, I am incredibly disappointed by the decision to keep Hookstone Road at 30mph.
“We have a healthy, active school community who love to walk, cycle and scooter to school alongside Hookstone Road on a daily basis.
“We worry that the current speed limit of 30mph is not safe enough for our children, and that a reduction to 20mph would enable more families to travel to school in safety. We hope that North Yorkshire Council reconsider this decision with our youngest, most vulnerable members of our community in mind.”
Otley Road
Hazel Peacock, of the Oatlands Road Safety and Active Travel Campaign, said the plans did not go far enough and urged the council to include the roads in the proposals.
She said:
“For the safety and well-being of the 9,000 school children and the wider community in Oatlands and Pannal Ash we urge North Yorkshire Council to reconsider the inclusion of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, Leadhall Lane, part of Leeds Rd (A61), Otley Rd (B6162), Wetherby Road (A661) and York Place (A6040) as 20mph in the Harrogate (south and west) 20mph Speed Limit review to be considered by Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transportation and mayoral candidate, on Monday 18th December.
“Without the inclusion of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, Otley Road and part of Wetherby Road specifically only five of the nine schools in the zone will be fully covered with 20mph roads immediately surrounding them; leaving St John Fishers Catholic High School and Willow Tree Primary School on 30mph roads and a combination of 30mph and 20mph in the case of Harrogate Grammar School and Oatlands Infant School.
“Considering people hit by a vehicle at 20mph are around five times less likely to be killed than at 30mph (Transport for London data) and that 16 children are killed or seriously injured in road crashes every week on their way to or from school (Public Health England), it is clear why the inclusion of these roads as 20mph matters.
“We hope Cllr Duncan will include them to prioritise the safety and well-being of the school children and members of the community as has been done on ‘main roads’ by other local authorities, in many including nearby Otley, Leeds, Nottingham, Manchester, Glasgow, London, rural villages in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.”
The scheme is estimated to cost the council £200,000.
The authority has recommended proceeding to consultation on traffic regulation orders for the areas proposed to be reduced to 20mph.
A decision will be made on the recommendation at next week’s meeting.
Stray Views: Why no 20mph limit outside my children’s primary school?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.
While I wholeheartedly support efforts to enhance the safety of school zones, I am shocked and puzzled that Willow Tree Primary School has not been included in these vital plans.
Willow Tree Primary School is one of the largest primary schools in our community, serving a significant number of students and families. It is strategically situated on a main and busy route through our town, making it a crucial focal point for ensuring the safety of our children and all pedestrians. It is baffling to me that, in terms of a risk assessment, Willow Tree Primary School has not been considered as a priority.
As a concerned parent, I witness the alarming and dangerous behaviour of speeding HGV vehicles on most days during the school run. It is evident that the current traffic situation outside our school poses a severe and imminent risk to the safety of our children. It is only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs, and we must take proactive measures to prevent such a tragedy.
I am eager to understand the rationale behind the decision to exclude Willow Tree Primary School from these critical traffic safety plans. The safety of our children should always be our top priority.
I have emailed to request that the local authorities reconsider their decision and include Willow Tree Primary School in the upcoming traffic safety measures. I believe that our school’s omission from the plans raises questions about the fairness and equity of the decision-making process.
Why have 20mph where it isn’t needed?
Diesel trains?
Why are diesel trains still being used to Harrogate, when Skipton and Ilkley have had electric multiple units since the 1960’s?
Harrogate’s rough sleepers embarrassing
I have been reading stories regards homeless people sleeping rough in Harrogate.[Rough sleepers evicted from Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens]
I moved to Harrogate over a year ago and am shocked and appalled by the amount of drugs, alcohol and people sleeping rough here. My family came to stay over at the weekend and going into town it was nothing short of embarrassing. There were drunks hanging around near McDonald’s shouting and swearing, what appeared to be drug takers near the bridge not far from the bus station and two men sleeping rough on benches near the cenotaph.
Harrogate has one of the highest council tax bands in the country but it is beyond me as to why?
I will be leaving Harrogate as soon as I can as it is dangerous, noisy and down right embarrassing. Such a pity.
Tracy Baldwin, Harrogate
Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.
Read More:
- 10 schemes proposed to reduce congestion in Harrogate
- ‘Collective will’ at council to rescue £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway
- Harrogate Grammar School head says 20mph zone should include Otley Road
The headteacher of Harrogate Grammar School has said a section of Otley Road should be reduced to 20mph to improve safety for schoolchildren.
North Yorkshire Council announced last week speed limits will be introduced outside seven schools in Harrogate under plans for a “landmark” 20mph zone across Pannal Ash and Oatlands.
The move followed repeated calls from headteachers and parents to introduce lower speed limits around schools following high-profile collisions involving vehicles and pedestrians. This included an incident this year that left two schoolchildren in hospital.
The seven schools Harrogate Grammar School (HGS), Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School, Ashville College, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Oatlands Junior School and Oatlands Infants School.
The 20mph zone by HGS will be introduced on Arthurs Avenue and its surrounding side roads.
But the headteacher of Harrogate’s largest secondary school Neil Renton said the zone should be extended to include the busy B6162 Otley Road, which is a key route in-and-out of town and currently has a limit of 30mph.
A statement was read out on behalf of Mr Renton at a meeting of councillors on the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee on Thursday.
He said:
“I absolutely support the landmark scheme put forward and hope this pioneering initiative will also include Otley Road. A large number of students leaving the site at start and end of school would make it entirely sensible to reduce the speed limit on Otley Road.
“Our staff see the need for this daily when supervising children. As a school we fully support reducing the speed limit for the safety of children in our community and hope you will also include Otley Road.”
Read more:
- 10 schemes proposed to reduce congestion in Harrogate
- ‘Collective will’ at council to rescue £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway
Officers published a report ahead of the meeting that said due to national and council policy as well as “the volume of traffic” on Otley Road it would not be possible to introduce a 20mph speed limit.
Liberal Democrat councillor for Bilton Grange and New Park, Monika Slater, asked the council’s chief highways officer Melisa Burnham if she was aware of how other cities had “circumvented” national guidelines to introduce 20mph limits on A or B roads.
Ms Burnham said:
Landmark Harrogate road safety and transport package unveiled“We do look at examples in best cases across the country, so yeah, the team certainly have the knowledge but whether it’s something we can look at for the specifics here I’m not sure.
“We do have that policy in place for a reason and we do have to adhere to it. It’s about that consistency across not just Harrogate but across the county as well.”
New speed limits will be introduced outside a series of schools in Harrogate under plans for North Yorkshire’s largest ever 20mph zone.
North Yorkshire Council today unveiled proposals for an extensive 20mph zone covering streets across the Pannal Ash and Oatlands areas of the town.
The proposed area for the new zone includes a total of seven schools in Harrogate.
These are Harrogate Grammar School, Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School, Ashville College, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Oatlands Junior School and Oatlands Infants School.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said:
“This is the most significant 20mph zone the council has ever introduced.
“Our plan will see 20mph limits introduced outside seven more schools and on nearby residential streets, meaning thousands of children can enjoy safer journeys every day.
“This landmark proposal is testament to the collective determination of schools, families and councillors to respond to public concerns and deliver ambitious action. It sets a positive example and leads the way for communities across North Yorkshire.”
A proposed £585,000 package of sustainable transport measures for the west of Harrogate has also been announced today.
The National Productivity Investment Fund package will be used to deliver parts of the new 20mph zone, as well as upgraded signals at the Cold Bath Road/Otley Road/Arthurs Avenue junction.
A crossing will be installed outside Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road.
There will also be improvements to bus stops along Otley Road, the crossing outside Falcon Chiropractic on Cold Bath Road, and a new crossing will be installed outside Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road.
Improvements will be made to cycle route signing, the crossing between Green Lane public right of way and Ashville College, and there will be new cycle parking and public realm improvements on Cold Bath Road. Nursery Lane will be upgraded to allow cyclists to use as an off-road leisure route.
Cllr Duncan said:
“We halted unpopular plans for phase two of the Otley Road cycleway to develop an alternative package of measures.
“This decision means we are now able to invest in signal improvements, new crossings, cycling improvements and new bus stops instead.
“This alternative package will be of immense and lasting benefit to all road users – motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and bus passengers.”
Read more:
- Trial scheme banning school run cars from Harrogate street launched today
- National pet retailer to open Harrogate store this month
Oatlands Junior School starts scheme
The first School Street initiative started today at Oatlands Junior School, whereby Beechwood Grove is closed to traffic at pick-up and drop-off times to create a safer environment and encourage more children to walk, cycle or scoot to school.
The pilot has been implemented for an experimental 18-month period to allow for its impact to be monitored and assessed. A decision will then be made whether to make the scheme permanent once a review has been carried out.
Members of the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee will be asked to provide feedback on the proposed 20mph and transport package at a meeting on Thursday, September 14.
The plans will then be considered for approval by Cllr Duncan, with the aim of implementing the measures early next year.
North Yorkshire 20mph policy ‘not based on evidence’, say councillorsCouncillors have rejected a claim that the decision to undertake a six-month review into speeding was based on insufficient evidence about the benefits of 20mph zones.
At a specially arranged meeting in Northallerton yesterday, Andy Brown, Green Party councillor for Aire Valley, requested a “call in” of the Conservative executive’s decision to begin the review into how it tackles speeding across North Yorkshire.
The executive said the review will lead to a speed management strategy and a rolling pipeline of safety improvement schemes, but it fell short of the demands of campaigners who want widespread 20mph speed limits implemented as soon as possible.
Cllr Brown said a report that underpinned North Yorkshire Council’s decision to undertake the review underestimated the benefits of 20mph speed limits and overestimated how difficult they are to implement.
He said:
“This is not a political issue, go to Cornwall and the Conservatives there got themselves elected and promised 20mph zones where residents support it. We should be thinking about this whatever our politics are.”
The 20’s Plenty campaign has the backing of more 150 parish councils, and campaigners met at County Hall in Northallerton yesterday with several making passionate pleas about why they want action on speeding now.
A statement was read out on behalf of Pam Fawcett, who said she had lived in Beverley for more than 50 years but is now worried about the speed of traffic. She said:
“I’m afraid to cross the road in the village and I must get somebody else to collect my pension. I have great-grandchildren living in the village, they must cross the road to get the school bus and I’m genuinely frightened they’ll be hit by a speeding car.”
Read more:
- Counci’s 20mph review ‘kicking can down the road’
- Trial scheme will ban school run cars from Harrogate street
Both the Green Party councillor for Ouseburn, Arnold Warneken, and Liberal Democrat councillor for Knaresborough East, Hannah Gostlow, queried why the report rejected calls to have a 20mph pilot in Harrogate and Knaresborough despite it being backed by local councillors. Cllr Gostlow said:
“Where was the consultation regarding local communities? We can’t just mention active travel in our strategies, we have to take action. Our goal won’t be reached by words alone.”
However, several Conservative councillors spoke to say they backed the review, including the councillor for Bentham and Ingleton, David Ireton, who said:
“This is not about whether we like speed limits, it’s about whether the executive’s decision was made correctly. I do believe they had sufficient evidence in front of them. I feel that it was a sound decision that was made.”
Alan McVeigh, the council’s head of highways network strategy, defended the council’s approach to speeding in the chamber, as did Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for transport, who spoke through a video link.
Mr McVeigh said:
“We’ve heard a lot, quite rightly, about the benefits of 20mph zones. None of that is in dispute. But a one size all default risks imposing speed limits on communities that may not want them.”
Cllr Duncan that parish councils will still be able to ask for 20mph zones and the strategy should speed up the process for these requests. He added:
“We will be communicating with all parish councils in North Yorkshire to explain the policy and how they can shape proposals. I’ll make sure every councillor gets that in advance. We’re working with communities and I think we can make a positive difference over time.”
Councillors ultimately voted by nine to six to back the executive’s initial decision to undertake the review.
Headteachers unite to support 20mph speed limit near Harrogate schoolsThe leaders of 13 schools and education settings in Harrogate have called for councillors to commit to urgent road safety improvements when they meet on Tuesday
The road safety group, which also includes campaigners and local councillors, met yesterday at Ashville College as part of its ongoing bid to create safer streets for 9,000 pupils.
North Yorkshire Council will consider on Tuesday how to respond to a petition calling for a maximum speed of 20mph across south and west Harrogate — covering Oatlands and parts of Pannal, Stray, Hookstone and St Georges areas in Harrogate. The agenda for the meeting is here.
Councillors on the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee passed a motion supporting the measures last year. But it requires the support of the council’s ruling Conservative-controlled executive to proceed.
Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive councillor for highways, appeared to dampen hopes this week when he said the council planned to draw up a speed management strategy rather than agree to 20mph limits.
Cllr Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat chair of the area constituency committee, described the move as “kicking the can down the road”.
But school leaders and campaigners remain hopeful of a successful outcome. In a joint statement, they said:
“There is strong evidence from studies of the positive impacts of maximum speeds of 20mph, and we urge the members of the executive to approve the motion, so safer roads can be created for our schools and the wider community, with a clear programme and timeframe for delivery.
“A maximum speed of 20mph is a key foundation in creating a safer urban environment for all and it encourages healthy active travel choices, from door to destination, around the community. “
The road safety group added whatever the outcome, it will “continue to push for investment in the safety of the roads around our schools, including: maximum speeds of 20mph, upgraded crossings, better use of double yellow lines, and repairs to damaged or outdated pavements, barriers and kerbs”.
Campaigner Hazel Peacock handing the road safety petition to North Yorkshire Council in May.
Cllr John Mann, a Conservative who represents Oatlands and Pannal, said he welcomed the council’s recommendation “to undertake a series of planned speed limit reviews delivered over a period of time, which will generate a pipeline of schemes”.
He added:
“Given the tragic road accidents that have recently occurred near to schools in Oatlands this year, I am calling for my recent applications for 20mph limits for Yew Tree Lane, Green Lane and Hookstone Road to be given a high priority in the highways pipeline of schemes for the introduction of 20mph limits.”
Cllr Mann said he would allocate his £10,000 locality budget, which each councillor receives to spend on local initiatives, for road safety schemes.
The school leaders who attended yesterday’s meeting were:
- Richard Sheriff, chief executive, Red Kite Learning Trust
- Jane Goodwin, interim chief executive, Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust
- Dave Thornton, interim headteacher and Iain Addison, deputy head at St Aidan’s CE School
- Neil Renton, headteacher, Harrogate Grammar School
- Tim Milburn, headteacher, Rossett School
- Rhiannon Wilkinson, headteacher and Richard Rooze, bursar at Ashville College
- Corrine Penhale, headteacher, Rossett Acre Primary School
- Tim Broad, headteacher, Western Primary School
- Zoe Anderson, headteacher, Oatlands Infant School
- Estelle Scarth, headteacher, Oatlands Junior School
- Steve Mort, headteacher, St John Fisher’s Catholic High School
- Dr Helen Davey, headteacher/Emma Mitchell, business manager, Willow Tree Primary
- Jane Turner, headteacher, Pannal Primary School
- Victoria Kirkman, executive headteacher, Admiral Long and Birstwith CE schools and interim executive headteacher, Ripley Endowed CE, Beckwithshaw & Kettlesing Schools
- Danny Wild, principal and Kate Herbert, performance and projects co-ordinator, Harrogate College
Campaigners who attended:
- Hazel Peacock and Dr Vicki Evans – Oatlands Road Safety and Active Travel Campaign
- Dr Jenny Marks and Ruth Lily – Pannal Ash Safe Streets
Read more:
- Harrogate school road safety petition handed in to council
- Stray Views: Drivers use Badger Hill as ‘speed track’
Council’s 20mph review ‘kicking can down the road’
North Yorkshire Council‘s decision to refuse blanket 20mph zones across the county in favour of a speed limit review has been described as “kicking the can down the road” on road safety.
Councillors on the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee requested default 20mph zones in November 2022.
However, rather than accept the request the council has now said it will draw up a speed management strategy to “guide a countywide review of speed limits across towns, villages and rural road”.
Council officials said they did not support area-wide or default speed zones on the grounds that “each area will be considered on its own merits”.
Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive councillor for highways, said the proposal would “deliver real improvements” across the county.
He said:
“The new council is taking an ambitious, proactive approach to setting speed limits, built on evidence and community empowerment.
“This will move away from setting limits in a piecemeal fashion, where we look at one road in one location at a single point in time.
“By taking a strategic view of a town or village we will ensure speed limits there are effective and be able to identify positive changes in partnership with local communities.
“We cannot review all locations immediately, and resources will need to be prioritised, but our approach will deliver real improvements across all parts of the county over time, addressing concerns, improving safety and saving lives.”
But Cllr Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat chair of the area constituency committee, said the move would only delay the implementation of 20mph streets further.
She added that a speed management strategy, which the council says will take six months to draw up, was not needed to implement zones immediately.
Cllr Marsh said:
“It is an issue that affects the whole of North Yorkshire, they have got to address it.
“Get the 20mph zones in first and then monitor them. It really is just kicking the can down the road.”
Read more:
- 20mph speed limits to be investigated in Harrogate and Knaresborough
- Ripon county councillors reject calls to pilot 20 mph zones
The council intends to undertake a series of planned speed limit reviews which will be “underpinned” by the speed management strategy.
It added that the move would “generate a rolling pipeline of safety improvement schemes for delivery”.
However, Cllr Arnold Warneken, Green Party member for Ouseburn, said the proposal lacked ambition and described it as “another delaying tactic”.
He said:
“There is no real substance to the North Yorkshire Council proposals. Whilst I was told to be patient as there was a comprehensive review taking place and the report would reflect this I was, and it does not, so now we have yet another example that the executive know better and show shallow concern and fake listening to the people they represent.
“We cannot keep putting off taking action to make our roads safer for everyone, we cannot keep putting off taking action to protect our environment, we cannot keep putting off taking action that will prevent life changing injuries or worse still fatalities. If not now, when?”
Ian Conlan, of the 20s Plenty North Yorkshire campaign group, said:
“There is a far better evidence base to have a default 20mph to replace existing 30mph limits, and develop an exceptions process to decide where to have higher speed limits than 20mph in a few roads in towns and villages, but only where vulnerable road users are fully protected.”
Mr Conlan urged supporters to demonstrate outside County Hall in Northallerton on Tuesday next week, when North Yorkshire Council’s executive will discuss the matter.
Mum of boy seriously injured on school run in Harrogate issues plea for 20mph limitThe mother of a 15-year-old boy seriously injured in a collision on the way to school in Harrogate has issued an emotional plea for road safety improvements.
Stephanie Talbot’s son Reuben was one of two Rossett School students hit by a pick-up truck on Yew Tree Lane on February 2.
Four months on from the collision, she has given her backing to a campaign to impose a 20mph limit on streets across a swathe of south and west Harrogate.
In a statement read by road safety campaigner and fellow parent Jenny Marks at today’s meeting of North Yorkshire Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, she said:
“They were on the pavement [when they were hit]. My daughter was also involved in the collision as her car was hit by the same truck. My youngest son was right behind his brother on the pavement and so witnessed the whole incident.
“My husband and I were right there within a few minutes of the accident happening. Reuben’s body had landed in positions it should never be in.
“Pieces of wall had to be removed from his body and he had eight broken bones: arms, leg and back… I was later told that when the paramedics arrived his stats showed that he could easily have died while on the ground there.
“I will never get over what I saw and heard that day.”
Some members of the committee were moved to tears as Dr Marks continued to read Ms Talbot’s statement.
It said her daughter had never felt safe walking to school in the area and had even been hit by a car near Rossett Sports Centre last September – which also happened while she was on the path.
Ms Talbot said she felt a 20mph network around schools in Harrogate would make children and parents feel safer to walk and cycle around the area, adding:
“Putting action in place should not be done as a consequence to a child’s injury or even death, but this accident should be a wake-up call to all parents, grandparents and the community to know that we need to make a change in our beautiful but busy town to enable our children to feel safe.
“Seventeen weeks on and many aspects of our lives are still on hold because of these injuries. I cannot even explain the pain and trauma that we have all gone through and will live with for the rest of our lives.
“Please be the people that make a difference.”
Petition
Campaigners Hazel Peacock and Vicki Evans presented a petition at the meeting with 924 signatures from people in support of reducing the speed limit to 20mph across the Oatlands, Hookstone, Pannal Ash and St George’s areas, where around 9,000 children attend local schools.
Ms Peacock told the meeting that evidence from other projects around the UK showed the reduction could have a significant impact on the severity of collisions.
She added:
“You have just heard of the devastating effects of the collision on Yew Tree Lane in February, and you are also aware of the collision outside Oatlands Junior School, also on the pavement, in January.
“These awful events coupled with overwhelming evidence of the benefits of 20mph limits demonstrate why change is urgently needed.”
Hazel Peacock handed the petition to North Yorkshire Council last month, with support from councillors and campaigners
While councillors on all sides of the chamber gave their support to the calls for a reduced speed limit, the Conservatives highlighted the fact that a pilot project had already been requested.
North Yorkshire Council is developing a policy on 20mph limits around schools and other urban areas, and Cllr John Mann (Conservative, Oatlands and Pannal) said he was keen to see the results of that work guide how a lower speed limit could be used in the area.
Conservative Cllr Sam Gibbs of the Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate division said:
“I do have one very slight reservation: 99% of the roads that are in this scheme I don’t have an issue with. However, the main roads of Leeds Road and Otley Road would be a slight concern to me if they were brought in to 20mph.”
Read more:
- Blanket 20mph limit across south Harrogate ‘urgently needed’
- Harrogate school road safety petition handed in to council
Cllr Paul Haslam, the Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said there needed to be a shift in attitudes and behaviours to make the school run safer, adding:
“We can put in a 20mph speed limit, but at the end of the day it’s all about behavioural and attitude changes to this. When we did the stats on Harrogate in 2018, I think more than 60% of the journeys in this town are less than 1.8km – not even miles, 1.8km.
“Surely we should be able to walk those distances, and a lot of that is to do with school commuting.”
The Liberal Democrats put forward a motion in support of the petition, calling on North Yorkshire Council to deliver a 20mph limit on streets across the area.
The proposal was voted through and will be passed to NYC’s executive.
Liberal Democrat Cllr Matt Walker, representing the Knaresborough West division, added:
“This is an opportunity that we should not miss and we need to show the executive our views on this.
“This tragedy should not have happened and it’s within our gift to send that message on our views to the executive so that this does not happen to anybody else.”