Bogs Lane Archives - The Stray Ferret

Harrogate residents react to road reopening

A week ago, traffic started flowing again on a road in Harrogate that had been blocked for 18 months.

Bogs Lane and Kingsley Road together form a horseshoe shape off the A59 Knaresborough Road. The bridge where they meet was closed to facilitate one of the many new housing developments in the area.

The route serves thousands of residents and is also used as a rat run or cut through to avoid the A59. Emergency vehicles travel along it when the barrier at Starbeck level crossing is down.

So are residents pleased to see the road fully back in use or did they prefer living in a quieter neighbourhood?

The Stray Ferret talked to residents this week and visited the site to speak to councillor Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley on North Yorkshire Council.

The road closure has ended.

Cllr Aldred said most residents he’d spoken to — particularly those in the new developments — appeared happy to have the full use of the road back.

When we met, a woman who lives in Barratt Homes’ Kingsley Meadows passed by and said she often drove to Knaresborough and unblocking the road had saved a lengthy detour.

Claire Mortimer, whose salon The Nail Garden is attached to her home in Kingsley, supported the re-opening. She said:

“The closure has been hard for my business as I have clients that travel far so it’s been annoying they’ve had to go the long way for so long.”

Kevin Francis agreed, saying he moved to the area in 2019 because of its “great links to other areas”, adding:

“Bogs Lane being closed has had a real impact on our day-to-day lives.

“Working to the east of Starbeck we had been shunted onto the High Street and spent many an hour clogging up the A59.”

Daniel Jefferson said the road “provides an important additional link around Starbeck”.

He added:

“Since the temporary closure of Bogs Lane I’ve felt like we’ve seen a significant increase in traffic congestion both exiting Kingsley Road and through Starbeck which I also believe has contributed in additional road traffic accidents occurring along these routes, significant increase emissions and congestion.”

‘More speeding cars’

But Nicola Woods is among those who have the opposite view. She said the reopening encouraged speeding motorists with little respect for the many cyclists and horse riders that used the road, adding:

“At times it is tricky getting in and out of my driveway which is again caused by the speed of some vehicles coming round the bend near Hillbank Road, I have had some near misses.

“The past few months whilst the road has been shut I have seen an increase in people walking and cycling down Bogs Lane. It will be interesting to see what affect the re-opening of the road has on this.”

Tim Redshaw said Bogs Lane was an unclassified road that could not sustain the increased volume of traffic. He said:

“Having lived in Starbeck most of my life l’ve seen how the traffic flows have changed, and the negative effects it’s creating. To keep building on the green belt land we till recently held so dear is a very big mistake.”

New footpath

The new footpath

The road re-opening is not the only change. New traffic lights have been installed near the entrance to Redrow’s Kingsley Manor development and a footpath has been created alongside it towards Bogs Lane to make walking safer.

Darren Long, whose family lives on Kingsley Road, said he didn’t understand why traffic from the Redrow site is now forced to turn right onto Kingsley Road.

“It’s a very odd decision. On a daily basis, we see residents turning around in the Barratts junction to go back over Bogs Lane way. It totally baffles me.”

Mr Long also called for traffic calming measures on Kingsley Road “as the speed of the traffic on here from some rat runners and residents is absolutely frightening”. He added:

“We’re regularly overlooked in this area and it’ll unfortunately take a fatality for the council to act on this I suspect.”

The road closed to allow Redrow to work on its Kingsley Manor development.

Cllr Aldred said the new footpath and road surface looked good but the old crumbling footpath across the bridge needed upgrading. He added:

“I’m going to ask for that to be done, as the new footpath makes it look terrible. Highways also need to do something about the potholes on the approach from Kingsley Drive — they are awful.”

He added he suspected not everyone had realised yet the road had reopened, and the volume of traffic could increase in the weeks ahead.

18-month Harrogate road closure to end

A Harrogate road that has been closed to traffic for 18 months will reopen in less than two weeks.

Vehicles have been blocked from crossing the bridge where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane since November 2022.

By law, temporary road closures can only last for a maximum of 18 months, which means the route, off the busy A59 Knaresborough Road, will reopen on May 6.

North Yorkshire Council considered permanently closing the road — a move welcomed at the time by the local councillor who said it would end the “Kingsley rat run”.

But this option is no longer being pursued.

Barrie Mason, the council’s assistant director for highways and transport, said:

“The temporary closure of Kingsley Road and Bogs Lane will come to an end on Monday, May 6, once the resurfacing is completed and traffic signals go live.

“We will not be progressing the permanent road closure as part of the developer-funded works.”

The decision to reopen the road means it will once again be an alternative for emergency vehicles when the level crossing barriers are down at Starbeck on the A59.

A 12-month temporary prohibition of traffic order was issued from November 7, 2022, to enable developer Redrow to carry out work at its 133-home Kingsley Manor development.

North Yorkshire Council extended the order by six months in November last year to enable Barratt Homes, which built the nearby Kingsley Meadows development, to construct a footway along Bogs Lane to make the area safer for pedestrians.

Mr Mason said:

“The construction of a footway on Bogs Lane will conclude current developer obligations. This is due to be completed for the road reopening, subject to weather conditions.”

Harrogate road to be closed for another six months

A busy Harrogate road is to remain closed for another six months.

Vehicles have been blocked from crossing the bridge where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane since November last year.

Besides serving the Kingsley area, the road is also used as a cut-through to avoid congestion on the main A59 Knaresborough Road.

The road was due to re-open to through traffic on November 3 but North Yorkshire Council, the highways authority, has now said the traffic order will remain in place until May.

The order was issued to enable work on the 133-home Redrow homes site Kingsley Manor to take place.

But in an email seen by the Stray Ferret, the council said Barratt Homes —which built the nearby Kingsley Meadows development — had not fulfilled an obligation to build a footway along Bogs Lane to make the area safer for pedestrians.

The email said:

“Unfortunately following a meeting with Barratts last week, we have been informed that their internal commercial processes would not allow them to award a works contract to the contractor who is currently working in the area and forming the Redrow site access.”

The email adds the council had therefore extended the temporary road closure “to ensure the road does not open until a footway is constructed allowing safe pedestrian access”.

By May, the road closure will have lasted for 18 months — the maximum legal time.

There appears no guarantee, however, the footway will be finished by then.

A spokesperson for Barratt and David Wilson Homes Yorkshire East, said:

“In 2019, we agreed a plan with North Yorkshire County Council for new pathways on Kingsley Road. However, the council has now requested that a revised plan is put in place because another developer is also building homes in the area, creating the need for further road improvement works.

“While we are not legally required to do the more extensive road improvement works, we have agreed to go out to tender to get costs for doing this work and intend to make a contribution towards it.”

A local resident, who asked not to be named, said the situation typified the ‘act now, think later’ approach to development in the area over the last six years.

They said:

“Bogs Lane is an unclassified country lane yet it was deemed safe by highways for the development and entrances of five major construction sites.

“No thought was put into the safety of the current and thousands of future residents. Highways were warned over six years ago of the dangers on Bogs Lane and it took them nearly five years to act and then only due to repeated complaints of incidents and near serious accidents.”

A familiar site on Kingsley Road.

Cllr Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley, said:

“While it’s disappointing that Barratts internal processes don’t enable them to work speedily with the Redrow contractors to provide the long awaited and much needed footpath, which myself and council officers have been pressing for, I agree with the officers that it better for the road to remain closed to cars – pedestrians and cyclists are still able to use it, as they have been doing for the last year of course – until the safe footpath is in situ.

“I am very conscious that when the road eventually does reopen to vehicles we do not want a return to the infamous Kingsley rat run, which has knock on effects for all the residential roads leading to Kingsley Drive from Knaresborough Road and need to make this link safe for all users of the road, particularly bearing in mind there is bound to be increased vehicle use by residents living in the new developments.

“It’s important the footpath is in place prior to the road reopening to vehicles.”

Harrogate ‘rat run’ to return as road set to reopen

A Harrogate road often used as a cut-through by vehicles is set to reopen to through traffic this autumn.

A 12-month traffic order has blocked traffic at the bridge where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane since November last year.

The route was previously used by some vehicles to avoid congestion on the main A59 Knaresborough Road, as well as by locals.

The traffic order was issued to enable developer Redrow to carry out work at its 133-home Kingsley Manor development.

The bridge that divides Bogs Lane and Kingsley Road is to re-open to vehicles.

North Yorkshire Council wanted to make the closure permanent but has been unable to do so and the roads will reopen to through traffic when the 12-month order lapses on November 3.

A council email sent to interested parties said it needed to construct a turning area on Bogs Lane “as a prerequisite to any road closure”.

The email, which is attributed to a ‘development management team’ rather than any named individual, added:

“We have been negotiating with this third party landowner for over 18 months and despite protracted correspondence, there has been no conclusion to the enquiry.

“The local highway authority is now at the stage where we must proceed with an alternative option to create a safe pedestrian environment on Bogs Lane as the temporary road closure expires in November and the occupation of dwellings on the Redrow site will begin shortly after.”

The council now wants to install a pedestrian route between the proposed Redrow site entrance on Bogs Lane and the garage to the east of the railway bridge.

The email added:

“The proposal would create a notional 1.5 metre wide footway on the northern side of the road, which would be slightly narrower over short sections in some places due to physical site constraints.

“This option would require the road to be realigned slightly to the south and reinforced in places in order to retain its current minimal width of 4.8m.

“Discussions are already underway with Network Rail with regards to the proposed footway crossing the bridge deck, as this bridge is a Network Rail asset for which permissions would be required to undertake works.”

The email added the council is talking to Redrow about amending 2017 documents that obliged the developer to construct a footway.

‘The infamous Kingsley rat run will reappear’

Some people welcomed the road closure for making the Kingsley area quieter; others said it added time to their journeys and the detours only increased pollution.

Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley on the council, was among those who supported a permanent closure. He said:

“I do see the point, which I understand many of the consultees made, regarding keeping Bogs Lane open to emergency vehicles, which would benefit residents on both sides of the bridge.

“I’m really pleased that, at long last, Bogs Lane is going to get a decent footway, hopefully prior to November 4th, when the Redrow Road Closure expires.

“My main worry is that the infamous Kingsley rat run will reappear when the road re-opens, but I understand traffic lights and traffic calming measures on both sides of the bridge and around the new junction will not make the road any quicker for motorists than using Knaresborough Road.”

Harrogate college Henshaws retains ‘good’ Ofsted rating

Henshaws has retained its ‘good’ rating in an inspection report published today.

The independent specialist college in Harrogate, which provides education and training for learners with profound and multiple disabilities and complex needs, was praised for its “effective and caring support”.

The three-day visit by three inspectors in May was Henshaws’ first Ofsted inspection since 2018.

Their report said:

“Learners behave well in lessons and around the college as a result of the effective and caring support of staff.

“Learners are respectful towards each other, staff and visitors. Staff create a calm environment, which enables learners to flourish.

“Learners know that staff will not tolerate poor or unkind behaviours, such as swearing and name calling.”

They added “staff support learners well to become active citizens and members of their communities” and that leaders and managers have a “clear vision” that enables learners to build confidence, develop independence and achieve their aspirations.

The report said:

“They support learners, for who it is appropriate, to prepare for employment or to participate in volunteering opportunities.

“They help learners to make friends, learn to live more independently and to look forward to a positive future.”

Safeguarding is described as “effective”. However, Ofsted said a small number of sessions “are not age appropriate” and urged the college to “ensure that the pace of learning in all lessons is appropriate to enable learners to make the progress of which they are capable”.

Besides its overall ‘good’ rating, Henshaws was assessed as ‘good’ in five of the six sub-categories. It was rated ‘outstanding’ in the sixth, which was for personal development.

‘Wonderful to be recognised’

The college on Bogs Lane provides day and residential provision for 66 people. Most learners are aged 19 years and over and all have an education, health and care plan coordinated by their local authority.

The personalised curriculum includes subjects such as art, music, dance, horticulture, English, mathematics, a forest school and swimming.

Sally Daniels interim chief executive and director of education and care services, said it was delighted by the outstanding mark, adding:

“The new inspection framework is generally viewed as being more challenging and we are very pleased to have maintained our overall ‘good’ rating.

“In addition, our safeguarding processes were rigorously challenged during the inspection and found to be highly effective.

“We work tirelessly to provide our students, their families and their carers the best support and curriculum we can and it is wonderful that this has been recognised by our regulator.”

Harrogate road to be closed until November

The closure of a busy road in Harrogate is to continue until November.

A section of road where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane has already been closed for five months to enable Redrow to carry out work at its 133-home Kingsley Manor development.

The closure, which prevents traffic using Kingsley Road and Bogs Lane as thoroughfares, has divided opinion.

It has also heightened fears about emergency vehicle response times as the route can be used as an alternative when Starbeck level crossing barriers are down.

North Yorkshire County Council issued a temporary prohibition of traffic order that came into effect on November 7 last year.

The order was for 12 months but at the time David Faraday, technical director for Redrow (Yorkshire), said “we don’t anticipate the works will take the full six months to complete”.

But signs have now appeared saying the closure will be active until November.

Kingsley Road, shortly before the road closure.

Mr Faraday said today:

“Unfortunately due to reasons beyond our control, essential works at the entrance to our Kingsley Manor development have been delayed. We informed the local authority of this and in January they granted permission for road closures to be extended until November 2023 in the interest of safety.

“We are pushing to complete the works, which include bringing new high voltage electricity cables to the site as quickly as possible so that the roads can be reopened. We would like to thank residents for their patience and understanding while the works are being undertaken.”

Knaresborough Road ‘saturated’

Local resident Clare Ayres said she was disappointed and wanted the road to re-open as soon as possible because it would ease “the saturation of traffic on Knaresborough Road” and surrounding routes.

Ms Ayres added:

“It won’t be long before they start building on the land on Kingsley Drive, which will mean more lorries and congestion. I’m also concerned about access for emergency vehicles.”

Cllr Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley on North Yorkshire Council, said there was no obligation on Redrow to consult on the matter as the traffic order applied for 12 months.

He also said the developer had been obliging by maintaining a footway for pedestrians and cyclists, who would have otherwise faced a 1.4-mile diversion.

Cllr Aldred also said he supported moves to permanently close the road at the bridge where Kingsley Road and Bogs Lane meet. He said:

“It would stop the notorious Kingsley rat run, once and for all, so a further six months actually allows time to continue this experiment whilst the works continue.”

Man released on bail after alleged robbery and sexual assault in Harrogate

A man has been released on bail following an alleged robbery and sexual assault in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police arrested a man in his 20s after an incident on Bogs Lane on Wednesday, February 15. Officers said a woman had sustained facial injuries.

Police have now confirmed that a man has been released on bail and inquiries are ongoing. No charges have been made.

After the incident, officers said people in the Bogs Lane area might see an increased police presence as investigations continue.

Man arrested over alleged robbery and sexual assault in Harrogate

A man has been arrested in connection with an alleged robbery and sexual assault on Bogs Lane in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police said last night a woman had sustained facial injuries while walking in the Bogs Lane area, which is off Knaresborough Road, in an incident on Tuesday night.

in a brief update this afternoon, police said the man, who is aged in his 20s, was arrested today and remains in police custody for questioning.

Officers said yesterday that people in the Bogs Lane area might see an increased police presence as inquiries were carried out.

Woman robbed and sexually assaulted in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Police has said it is stepping-up patrols in a Harrogate suburb after a woman was robbed and sexually assaulted last night.

The woman was attacked while walking in the Bogs Lane area, which is off Knaresborough Road.

She sustained facial injuries and is receiving support from specially trained officers.

A police statement today said:

“It happened at around 8.30pm when the victim was approached by a man on a lane near to the tennis field who stole her jacket and mobile phone and sexually assaulted her.

“The suspect is described as tall and was wearing dark coloured clothing including black jogging trousers, a black puffa jacket, brown boots and had a large ring on his finger. Following the assault he ran off in the direction of Starbeck High Street.”

The statement added officers were “carrying out extensive enquiries including CCTV and house-to-house enquiries”. It added people may see an increased police presence in the Bogs Lane area.

Police are also appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and witnessed the incident or saw anything suspicious people to contact them.

They urged anyone who lives in Bogs Lane, Allotment Gardens, Hillbank View or the approaches to Bogs Lane who has doorbell or private CCTV cameras that may have captured the suspect or the incident to get in touch.

Dial 101 and ask for Harrogate CID, quoting reference number 12230028839.

If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Kingsley anger reaches ‘boiling point’ as another 162 homes set for approval

The beeping sound of lorries and diggers reversing fills the air. Mud covers the street. Planning application notices hang like baubles from lamp posts.

Welcome to Kingsley Road, a once quiet rural area on the edge of Harrogate that has become a permanent building site.

Some 600 homes are at various stages of construction in the nearby area. Work started years ago and shows no sign of ending.

On Tuesday, Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning committee is expected to approve a sixth development – Persimmon’s application for 162 homes in a field on Kingsley Drive. Some locals plan to demonstrate at the council offices in the hope of persuading the Conservative-controlled planning committee to reject the scheme.

Gary Tremble, pictured where more development is due to take place.

Gary Tremble, who lives on Kingsley Road, is at the forefront of local resistance. He is a member of Kingsley Ward Action Group, which was set up in 2019 because “we soon realised we needed to work together”.

By his own admission, Mr Tremble is a “pain in the arse campaigner” who bombards councillors of all political colours with emails complaining about uncovered lorries, the state of the roads, road safety and anything else that concerns people who live in the area. He says some Greens and Liberal Democrats “have been helpful” but the bulldozers keep coming. He says:

“There’s a lot of anger on this street and it will get worse if people keep ignoring us.

“I have to take time off otherwise I get angry all the time. But then you walk out the door and see another truck going past at 40mph.”

The proposed road closure leading to Bogs Lane

The homes are being built in a residential area off the already-congested Knaresborough Road. North Yorkshire County Council has now applied to block the through-route on to Bogs Lane, which some welcome on the grounds it will reduce local traffic. Others say it will just drive more vehicles on to Knaresborough Road.

All you can see in the Kingsley area is houses.

Mr Tremble says:

“The main issue is there is no infrastructure. You can’t build several hundred homes with no community centre, dentist or shop.”

He says if the Persimmon development is approved and more green land between Starbeck and Bilton is concreted over, many people will have had enough and look to move.

Other local people feel equally strongly. Darren Long says:

“It literally feels like we’re given more bad news on a daily basis. It’s now seven years since construction started on the first Barratt’s development and it shows no signs of stopping. It’s so sad that this has been allowed to happen.

“We were so excited to move here in 2017. It’s miserable living here now. Living with the constant construction traffic, proposed road closures, one way systems and the horrific traffic.”

Kingsley Park

Peter Nolan, who has lived in the Kingsley area for 49 years, says Harrogate Borough Council “should be ashamed of the state they have let this once quiet area get into”. He adds:

“I’ve never ever in all my years had to queue half way along Kingsley Road in a morning but now I quite often spend 20 minutes trying to get out onto Knaresborough Road.”

Resident Dee Downton added:

“I am more concerned about the effect of the normal day-to-day basics that impact the everyday person getting to their destinations or commute to work, the impact on air quality because it’s just one constant traffic jam, the impact when ambulances can’t get through, the danger to pedestrians crossing because a gap in the traffic is seen and a vehicle acts quickly but fails to see someone crossing the road.”

Developers have targeted Kingsley because the land is allocated for development on the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place,

They say the schemes bring much-needed housing to Harrogate.

Kingsley Road

But those living in the area are less enthusiastic. Anonymous posters appeared on the street recently urging locals to legally double park on the pavement to prevent developers’ lorries from passing.

Mr Tremble says such anger is understandable because feelings are reaching “boiling point”.

Andrew Hart, a postmaster in nearby Starbeck, sympathises and says the action group is “doing their best to right a massive wrong”, adding:

“I am appalled with the never ending chaos created by the developments and road closures along Kingsley. The whole infrastructure was never designed for this number of houses.

“We have ended up with serious health and safety issues, lack of local resources and a gridlocked Knaresborough Road and Starbeck.”

Tuesday’s planning committee can be watched live on Harrogate Borough Council’s YouTube page here.

‘More speeding cars’

New footpath

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‘The infamous Kingsley rat run will reappear’

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‘Wonderful to be recognised’

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Knaresborough Road ‘saturated’

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