Major crop fires underway near A61 in Ripon

Firefighters are attempting to put out crop fires in fields close to Ripon this afternoon.

The fires are in fields alongside the A61 around Hutton Bank and billowing smoke can be seen for miles around the area.

Today has been the hottest day of the year so far with temperatures of 29 degrees recorded in the Harrogate district.

North Yorkshire Police has advised motorists to avoid the area. A spokesperson said:

“We’re asking motorists to avoid the area and find other routes for their journeys while our Fire Service colleagues work at the scene. Thank you for your patience and understanding”

You can watch a video of the fire that was posted by North Yorkshire Weather Updates below:

UPDATE 6pm: Harrogate Fire Station has said the fire is now out.

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Man suffers serious injuries after Harrogate car crash

A man in his 60s suffered series injuries after a crash at Buttersyke roundabout at Pannal in Harrogate yesterday.

Emergency services were called at 7.20am after two cars, a blue Seat Ibiza and a black Volkswagen Golf, crashed near to the A658 roundabout and the A61.

The incident caused long delays at rush hour yesterday.

North Yorkshire Police said a man from Leeds in his sixties, who was driving the Seat Ibiza, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Leeds General Infirmary. He remains in a serious but stable condition.

The passenger of the Ibiza was unharmed and the driver and passenger of the Volkswagen, a couple from Harrogate, sustained minor injuries

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Officers are now appealing to anyone who may have information or dashcam footage of the crash.

A police statement added:

“Officers are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident or who may have dashcam footage of either the collision itself, or either vehicle prior to the incident.

“Anyone with information which would assist the investigation is asked to dial 101, select option 2 ask to speak to Traffic Constable Steve Wright. Alternatively you can email steve.wright1@northyorkshire.police.uk – please quote reference 12220023352.”

‘Station Gateway consultation a whitewash’, claim Harrogate petitioners

Harrogate residents described the Station Gateway consultation as a “whitewash” when they delivered a petition today.

Consultation on the revised plans for the £10.9 million scheme, which would see Station Parade reduced to single lane traffic and James Street partly pedestrianised, closes today.

Five members of Granvillle Road Area Residents Association took the petition to Harrogate Borough Council‘s Knapping Mount office at lunchtime today.

They are concerned that re-routing traffic off Cheltenham Parade and Cheltenham Mount through the nearby residential streets where they live will increase traffic and pollution and make it more difficult to park.

Dan Harper, executive officer economy and transport at Harrogate Borough Council, received the petition, which had about 140 signatures. He declined to be photographed by the Stray Ferret.

The residents expressed frustration over the consultation process, claiming it was difficult to get hold of information or people to address their concerns.

Catherine Ward-Brown, who lives on Cheltenham Mount, where traffic will be diverted if Cheltenham Mount is made one-way, said:

“They are trying to force commercial traffic on to residential streets and ignoring valid points made. They are hellbent on sticking to their views. It hasn’t been a consultation — it’s been a whitewash.”

Andrew Jones ‘not willing to engage’

Antonia Lowe questioned why Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, had not meaningfully replied to residents’ questions about the scheme.

“He was willing to engage with the process to relocate the post office but isn’t willing to engage with us.”

Rachael Inchboard said:

“He is passing the buck and refusing to engage. He has a duty to the Harrogate residents who voted him in to engage with this at the earliest opportunity. We would like to see him come to Granville Road.”

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The petitioners are considering paying to monitor air quality in their local streets as well as launching an online fundraising appeal to pay for an environmental impact assessment, which Harrogate Borough Council did not deem necessary.

The Stray Ferret has approached Mr Jones for comment.

What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?

The Harrogate scheme is one of three projects worth a combined £42m in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund, which encourages cycling and walking.

They are being delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Craven District Council and Selby District Council.

A consultation on the revised designs ends today. It is anticipated that work in Harrogate will begin by the middle of next year.

To take part in the online consultation, click here.

 

Harrogate residents deliver petition opposing Station Gateway

Harrogate residents will hand in a petition today opposing the Station Gateway on the final day of consultation on the £10.9 million scheme.

Members of Granvillle Road Area Residents Association organised the signatures in response to fears that re-routing the A61 will increase traffic in nearby residential streets, such as Granville Road, Back Granville Road, Mount Parade, Back Cheltenham Mount and Strawberry Dale Avenue.

Rachael Inchboard, a member of the association, said about 200 of the 250 homes affected by the changes had signed the petition, which will be presented to Harrogate Borough Council.

After the consultation ends, councils supporting the initiative, led by North Yorkshire County Council, are expected to produce a final report summarising consultation outcomes and outlining the next steps.

Businesses in the town are considering applying for a judicial review to halt the scheme.

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North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, the executive member for access, reiterated his support for the scheme. He said:

“I do not believe that the gateway scheme for Harrogate should now be dropped because of opposition from certain businesses.

“Whilst their views, and indeed the local town centre economy, are very important to us, there are also the views of many other sectors and persons to consider. The findings of the latest round of consultation will be important to us too, as are the many thousands of views expressed in the Harrogate congestion study public engagement.

“I have nothing further to say about legal action. If an individual wishes to begin such a process, we shall be ready to respond.”

What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?

The Harrogate scheme is one of three projects worth a combined £42m in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund, which encourages cycling and walking.

They are being delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Craven District Council and Selby District Council.

A consultation on the revised designs ends today. It is anticipated that work in Harrogate will begin by the middle of next year.

 

Treacherous roads in Harrogate district after heavy snowfall

Heavy snowfall overnight has caused treacherous driving conditions on major roads in the Harrogate district this morning.

Many areas woke up to a blanket of snow and ice, causing severe problems, especially in rural areas.

The North Yorkshire Weather Updates social media page showed dire conditions in Boroughbridge, with heavy snow covering streets.

Video by Carly Gibson

The same page also reported large vehicles were struggling to get up the hill on the A59 at Kex Gill due to hazardous road conditions. However by 9am the road appeared to be clear.

North Yorkshire Police warned people to drive carefully due to conditions on the A61 between Ripon and Harrogate.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority, on which days it had gritted the roads since Christmas Day and what its policy is on deciding when to use gritters,

We had not received a response by the time of publication but the council has tweeted this morning that its gritting crews are on call 24 hours a day from October to April and are treating roads.

A similar tweet was posted on Christmas Day but nothing on travel since despite snow and flooding causing problems in the district.

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The Met Office issued a yellow warning for snow and ice yesterday and warned that up to four inches of snow could fall over the Pennines and North York Moors.

The outlook in the district looks set to improve throughout today with light cloud throughout the afternoon into the evening.

However, temperatures are forecast to drop below zero again overnight.

Family tribute to former Ripon soldier after fatal crash

The family of a former soldier have released an emotional tribute after he died in a crash near Ripon.

Kieran Rafferty, 60, was born in Fife in Scotland but he was young when his parents moved to Stoke-on-Trent and he attended school there.

He joined the armed forces and travelled the world before he worked for his family business for more than 30 years.

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Mr Rafferty settled in Ripon and was married for 25 years. He leaves behind his partner Debs and his dogs Nardie and Ozzy. The family said he will be “terribly missed”.

As well as his family, Kieran was well known for his love of music and particular passion for Northern Soul. He also enjoyed cars and motorbikes and was a firm believer in compassion for animals.

Keiran was driving a red Lexus coupe at the time

Keiran was driving a red Lexus coupe at the time.

Kieran Rafferty died on July 25 at around 9.20pm when the vehicle he was driving left the road.

He was driving his red Lexus coupe along the A61 near the village of Skipton-on-Swale from the Busby Stoop roundabout.

North Yorkshire Police has appealed for any witnesses to the crash to contact Nicola Gill by email and quote reference 12200127493.

Child suffers suspected broken leg in Parliament Street collision

A nine-year-old girl suffered a suspected broken leg after a collision on Parliament Street in Harrogate on Saturday afternoon.

Police attended the scene at around 1pm after a Volva V70 collided with several parked cars, one of which struck the girl. She was taken to hospital for treatment.

Diversions were set up around Parliament Street as police closed the main A61 road through Harrogate whilst they arranged recovery for four damaged vehicles, including the Volvo.

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Police appeal for witnesses after child injured in Parliament Street collision

North Yorkshire Police has appealed for witnesses to a collision on Parliament Street where a child was injured by a car.

The incident happened on Saturday lunchtime and diversions were set up around Parliament Street as police closed the main A61 road through Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police has released no further details of the incident at this time.

Anyone who may have seen the collision is asked to contact Mark Hutchings of the Major Collision Investigation Unit on 101 or email Mark.Hutchings@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

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