The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8am to 10am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Connexions, the family-run bus operator based at Tockwith, is to withdraw its X1 service in two weeks’ time.

The last X1 service, which runs from St James’ Retail Park to Harrogate via Knaresborough High Street and Starbeck, will run on Friday, November 3.

Connexions managing director Craig Temple told the Stray Ferret:

“We do have quite a lot of passengers on that route, but it loses more money during the school holidays than it makes during term-time.

“Our costs have soared – it’s incredibly difficult. Since covid, not many people want to drive buses, so we’ve had to put up wages by 25% over the last two years.

“Fuel costs have risen, insurance has gone up by a third, and concessionary fare reimbursement hasn’t kept up with rising costs. We’re also losing money because of the £2 fare-cap because the government doesn’t cover the costs adequately.”

He added that customers would not be left “high and dry” because the X1 route was serviced by other buses, and said that all the company’s other routes remain unchanged.

Connexions currently operates 37 bus services, including many school buses, on routes around York, Leeds, Tadcaster, Otley, Harrogate and Knaresborough.

CNG liquidator appointed

A liquidator has been appointed to oversee the final chapter in CNG Group’s saga.

The commercial gas supplier was once one of Harrogate’s fastest-growing and most successful businesses, and a sponsorship deal with Harrogate Town AFC even saw the club’s ground renamed the CNG Stadium.

But a surge in wholesale gas prices made it uneconomical for many providers to continue to trade, and CNG collapsed in November 2021 owing £82m, with the loss of all 145 jobs. At the time, it was the 19th energy supplier to fail that year.

The group’s creditors have appointed Timothy Bateson, director of national business advisory company Interpath Ltd, as liquidator.

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Councillors across Harrogate and Knaresborough have today voted to support plans for the £11.2m Station Gateway project.

The scheme, which would see Station Parade reduced to one lane of traffic in favour of a bus lane and cycle route, received 10 votes in favour and three against.

Members of North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee heard views and evidence and debated the project for more than three hours before making their decision.

They voted on a motion to support the scheme, on condition that the council would engage further with local businesses and residents to address their concerns.

The heated meeting began with time for members of the public to address the committee.

Members of the public at the start of the meeting.

Sue Savill, owner of Party Fever, raised the issue of lack of access to businesses on the east side of Lower Station Parade. She said the scheme would remove parking spaces immediately outside the front in favour of a bus lane and cycling path, adding:

“The cost to local businesses would be devastating. It would make Harrogate less attractive to visit.”

William Woods, of Independent Harrogate, said it, Harrogate BID, Harrogate Chamber and Harrogate Residents Association opposed the plans, adding:

“You must ask yourselves, can all these businesses really be wrong?”

He said the Station Gateway project would do “absolutely nothing” to reduce queues on the main approaches to Harrogate, such as Wetherby Road.

There was raucous laughter when Judy D’Arcy-Thompson, of the Stray Defence Association, said a report supporting the plans highlighted the lack of cycling connection between the railway and bus stations, which she pointed out were just “20 paces” apart.

She said the “largely intelligent, conscientious population” was already aware of the need to protect the local environment without the scheme being needed. She concluded:

“Please do not bring down the portcullis and tear the heart out of Harrogate.”

How Station Parade will look

Just two members of the public spoke in favour of the scheme: Kevin Douglas, of Harrogate District Cycle Action, and Jemima Parker, of Zero Carbon Harrogate.

There were loud shouts from the public against them. Committee chairman Pat Marsh had to ask several times for people to be quiet to allow the speakers to be heard.

There were snorts of derision as Harrogate District Cycle Action leader Kevin Douglas told the meeting:

“To make cycling an option for all, including children, we do need dedicated cycle tracks…

“Of course this scheme does not prevent people from driving in the town centre if they choose to.”

Evidence from officers

After statements from the public, the meeting moved on to hear from councillors and officers putting forward the plans.

North Yorkshire’s executive member for highways, Cllr Keane Duncan, said the scheme was not “total and perfect” but was an “opportunity” to address the issues Harrogate was facing.

He said he was not trying to pass the buck of a controversial decision to the committee, but was willing to listen to their views and look at any concerns they raised.

Richard Binks, the council’s head of major projects and infrastructure, addressed concerns about the loss of parking spaces. With a total of 6,789 parking spaces – and around 7,500 if nearby supermarkets were included – he said the impact of losing 40 spaces across James Street and Station Parade would be minimal.

Tania Weston, programme manager of the Transforming Cities Fund, added:

“This is not just a cycling scheme – it’s about accessibility. It’s not about preventing driving, it’s giving people options.”

Economic and regeneration manager Matt Roberts told the meeting:

“Change is often daunting but in Harrogate’s case is much needed.”

Otley Road cycle route fears

After the presentations, the meeting moved to debate among the 13 councillors on the committee.

Cllr Michael Schofield, the Lib Dem representative of Harlow and St Georges, said businesses felt the consultation on the scheme was insufficient. He questioned the authority’s ability to deliver on a sustainable travel scheme, given the recent problems with the Otley Road cycle route.

“These people are really worried about their livelihoods. Why haven’t they been consulted properly and why hasn’t a business impact report been carried out with them?”

Matt Roberts said it was not usual for schemes like that to include that, but an economic impact report had been completed.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Matt Walker, of Knaresborough West, said he welcomed investment, and the council’s offers to meet with residents and businesses, but said:

“This scheme is actually an £11m vanity project. It delivers nothing more than an expensive landscaping project…

“It does not sit within a wider strategic plan. Nobody is going to visit the gateway project. People visit for thriving independent shops, along with the Valley Gardens… and others.”

However, speaking in support of the plans and addressing the public gallery, Green party Cllr Arnold Warneken of the Ouseburn division, said:

“I find it very difficult to sit here and listen to how impolite some of you have been. I feel some members of this committee might have wanted to say something but the hostile atmosphere might have prevented them.”

He said most people wanted to protect the environment and called on councillors to “have the courage” to vote for something that would do that.

The plans for James Street

Cllr Paul Haslam, the Conservative representative for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, supported the scheme. His view was that the town needed to be a welcoming place to support businesses of all kinds, in order “to retain quality people” and reduce the number of young people leaving for “more exciting” towns.

As a long-standing businessman and retailer, he said there was already a changing retail landscape thanks to the internet, exacerbated by covid. He argued Harrogate had to “create a USP to attract shoppers”, adding:

“It’s a serious planned investment in our home that will enrich the economy for years to come.”

Cllr Monika Slater (Lib Dem, Bilton Grange and New Park) welcomed officers’ and Cllr Duncan’s assurances that they were open to developing the plans and willing to speak to businesses and individuals about their concerns. She said:

“I really feel that the Otley Road cycle scheme has caused a big problem… It has taken away the public’s confidence in North Yorkshire.”

Lib Dem Cllr Hannah Gostlow, of Knaresborough East, said she supported measures to support active travel but they needed to be joined up. She said it regularly took her 45 minutes to travel from Knaresborough to Harrogate.

“We need a holistic approach to active travel in the constituency.

“We need inspiring schemes that celebrate our heritage and win the support of residents and businesses.”

She called on the area committee to drive through measures to improve active travel with support from the community.

‘Deeply divided’

Holding a leaflet handed to her by a member of the public who had earlier spoken against the scheme, Lib Dem committee chairman Pat Marsh said she was “totally against” the Station Gateway, adding:

“I actually think this alternative solution that connects into my own community and into Bilton, Knaresborough and Starbeck – why aren’t solutions like that being looked at instead of one that’s sending idling traffic up through our town?”

Cllr Peter Lacey (Lib Dem, Coppice Valley and Duchy) said the town was “deeply divided” over the plans. He said:

“This scheme is caught in a sea of disgruntlement and disappointment that I personally share.”

Cllr Lacey put forward a motion to support the scheme, with conditions which would see council officers work with residents and businesses to find the best use of the money. He added:

“This is a test of our ability to work together to deliver the best possible scheme.”

Cllr Duncan said there were time pressures to proceed with the scheme and submit a business case, but he was happy to undertake to follow the councillors’ wishes.

Three councillors – Matt Walker, Michael Schofield and Pat Marsh – voted to oppose the plans, while Cllr Arnold Warneken was ineligible to vote. The rest supported taking the plans forward.

The scheme, including any amendments, will be put before North Yorkshire Council’s executive on May 30 for a final vote.

Bus services across the Harrogate district are under “unprecedented” pressure thanks to dwindling passenger numbers, leaving some routes at risk of being cut.

North Yorkshire County Council has issued a stark warning that, faced with passenger numbers of only around 80% of their previous levels, additional funding would be needed to maintain services.

The authority’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, said unless more people travel by bus, the new North Yorkshire Council may be unable to maintain the existing services.

A planned cut of funding from the Department for Transport has been delayed from October until March, but local authorities face reduced income and rising costs even before the money runs out.

Cllr Les said:

“We are in a time of immense pressure for bus services nationally and North Yorkshire is no exception.

“Throughout the pandemic, the government has provided significant support to commercial companies to keep services running in North Yorkshire that would otherwise have been lost.

“While it is very welcome that this has been extended until March, we know many routes are continuing to struggle and companies tell us it will be impossible for these to continue operating without significant additional funding.

“The stark reality is that the survival of many services across the county are on a knife edge. We know how important public transport is for many residents but we are in a use it or lose it situation.”

The drop in passenger numbers follows the covid pandemic, with more people now thought to be working from home or using other modes of transport.

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NYCC has already tried to mitigate the impact of the pressures on bus services by setting up an enhanced partnership agreement, which met for the first time in August.

It sees the council work with bus operators to improve facilities and introduce measures to enhance operating conditions.

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said the problems were down to the drop in passenger numbers, making many more routes unsustainable. He said:

“This is an unprecedented situation with around a third of the network at risk of seeing a reduced level of service or ceasing altogether unless patronage levels improve.

“We have already seen several routes cease, often at short notice, and the unfortunate expectation is that others may follow unless usage improves.

“While the council uses £1.6m each year to support services that are not commercially viable, this cannot meet the scale of the challenge we are now experiencing from routes operating without council subsidy.

“The council has been successful in lobbying government for extra financial support, but we accept this will not continue in perpetuity. We are working closely with operators to encourage passengers to use services and protect them for our communities.”

This article is sponsored by Barnard Castle School.

It is now easier than ever to reach Barnard Castle School thanks to a raft of new transport links, including from the Harrogate district.

Set in the heart of the stunning Northern countryside, the independent school, known affectionately as ‘Barney, is well-served by a growing number transport connections, making it even more accessible.

The school currently offers 10 bus routes as part of its comprehensive transport services, which also cater for flexi passengers.

In 2020, two new routes were launched in Ripon and Yarm, which has helped to meet increased demand and to support the school’s existing community.

Tony Jackson, headmaster at Barnard Castle School, said:

“We are fortunate that Barnard Castle is surrounded by open countryside and areas of natural beauty, yet is close enough to major towns and cities.

“External regional transport links offer the best of both worlds, in addition to our robust bus services.

“People often forget that we are only two-and-a-half hours away from London via train, which is a massive advantage.”

Mr Jackson said in nearby Tees Valley, significant investments had greatly strengthened the region’s transport infrastructure, including the re-emergence of Tees Valley International Airport in recent years and the planned major development of Darlington Railway Station.

He added:

“Barney is a well-positioned campus in our region and remains one of the most beautiful and safest places to live in the entire United Kingdom.”

Pupils at Barnard Castle School.

His comments come ahead of open mornings at the co-educational independent day and boarding school, which has a history that stretches back to the 19th century.

The events, which take place on March 8 for Sixth Form, and March 19 for the Prep and Senior Schools, are aimed at giving parents and pupils an opportunity to get a feel for the school, inspect the facilities and chat with peers and staff.

To find out more about what makes education at Barnard Castle School so special, contact a member of the admissions team on 01833 696030 or email admissions@barneyschool.org.uk