Police start two-week speeding crackdown in Harrogate district

North Yorkshire Police today announced a two-week blitz on speeding motorists.

The constabulary said in a statement traffic officers will be targeting excess and inappropriate speed on county roads “over the next couple of weeks”. It added:

“Twenty-four-hour enforcement activity will take place across the county, with an aim of catching those who put other road users in danger.”

Today marks the start of a three-week nationwide speed enforcement operation, led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, which represents British chief police officers.

The initiative, which includes National Safe Speed Day on October 19, highlights the risks of speeding and encourages motorists to slow down.

Between January 1 and December 31 last year, there were 85,610 speed violations captured by safety camera vans and safety camera bikes in North Yorkshire.

A North Yorkshire Police speed van

Expect to see more police speed vans over the next two weeks. Photo by Martin Dawes

The last speed enforcement campaign in January this year resulted in almost 5,200 speeding violations during that month alone.

Traffic Constable Ali Hoyle said:

“These figures show just how much of an issue speeding is here for us in North Yorkshire and this is not a huge surprise as we have a vast road network across the county including hundreds of miles of rural roads.

“The reason why we do these types of deployments is because we are trying to prevent serious collisions on our roads and make them as safe as they can possibly be.

“There are so many dangers associated with excessive speeding, not least because it’s a major cause of fatal road traffic collisions. By slowing down and making sure you drive to the conditions of the road, you have more time to react to other drivers and hazards.

 

Ambulance workers in Harrogate district could be set to strike

Staff at Yorkshire Ambulance Service are set to vote on strike action over a government pay offer.

The service employs 7,200 staff and covers all of North Yorkshire, including the Harrogate district.

The GMB Union, which represents 1,500 ambulance workers, said it held a consultative ballot over strike action which saw 90% vote in favour of a walk-out.

Turnout for the vote was 80%.

It comes after the government offered staff a 4% pay increase.

Following the outcome on the consultative ballot, Unions are now set to move towards holding a formal vote on industrial action.

Deanne Ferguson, GMB organiser, said:

“Ambulance staff should not be worrying about how they’ll heat their homes this winter or feed their families, whilst carrying out a crucial service across our communities.

“The service is crumbling, and it is having an impact on everyone – it is only surviving because of the amazing workers holding it together, through goodwill.

“GMB members have had enough, they are angry – and that’s why they want to move to a formal ballot for strike action.

“They’ve made history with their turnout and vote.

“GMB Union will stand shoulder to shoulder with our members as we fight for an above inflation pay rise for our NHS heroes.”

Dates for the formal ballot will be announced in the “coming days”, the union said.

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Harrogate district schools set to take part in Walk to School Day 2022

Local environmental group, Zero Carbon Harrogate, is set to hold its annual Walk to School Day for 2022.

The event will be held on Friday (October 7) with a focus on “building good transport habits”.

A further five walk to school days will be held in November, February, March, May and June.

This year, Zero Carbon Harrogate has changed the format of the walk to focus on taking part and building good transport habits, rather than calculating winners.

A spokesperson for the group said:

“This year, our strategy is slightly different. Instead of calculating winners and announcing our leaderboard, the event simply focuses on taking part, building good transport habits – ideally on a daily basis – and spreading the word.

“At the end of the 2022-2023 school year, we will present gold, silver and bronze certificate awards to all participating schools in the area, depending on the number of events they took part in over the academic year.”

The 28 schools taking part in the event on Friday are:

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Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic update

Traffic is moving as normal in the Harrogate district this morning.

However, commuters are braced for another day of strike action this coming weekend.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

While traffic is moving as normal, drivers should expect the usual queues on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road during rush hour this morning.

Meanwhile, overnight work on the A59 York Road, between Station Road and the A658 at Goldsborough, is expected to end today.

Montpellier Road in Harrogate remains closed until October 12 as Northern Gas Networks carries out maintenance work.

This week, temporary traffic lights are due in place on Cold Bath Road for five weeks as the company carries out maintenance work.

According to North Yorkshire County Council’s roadworks map, the measure will be in place from October 7.

At Blossomgate in Ripon, work is due to take place to replace and reset the kerb and improve the road.

Trains and buses

Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

However, commuters will face further industrial action on Saturday (October 8) which may affect services from Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Northern, which operates the services, has urged passengers not to travel on strike days.

The strike action comes as rail passengers have also been warned to expect disruption on Harrogate’s LNER services from October 1 until October 9.

Major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail will affect many services on the LNER route during this period.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting cancellations on its 1A and 1B services this morning.

You can find out more on the disruption to services here.

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Details emerge of new Harrogate district town the size of Thirsk

A six-week consultation has begun on the Harrogate district’s proposed new town.

Maltkiln is expected to be built in the Hammerton and Cattal area and include between 3,000 and 4,000 homes, two primary schools, shops and a GP surgery.

With an estimated population of up to 10,000, it is likely to be bigger than Richmond and similar in size to Thirsk.

The development moved a step closer this week when Harrogate Borough Council opened a consultation on its draft new settlement development plan document, which sets out a 30-year vision and policy framework on how Maltkiln is designed and developed.

The consultation documents cover issues such as the impact of the development on flood risk, heritage sites and climate change.

Maltkiln

A section outlining the council’s ‘vision’ for Maltkiln describes it as “a garden village with a distinctive identity” that is “developed around convenient rail access to Harrogate, Leeds and York” and “people are not dependent on a car”.

People have until November 14 to make comments on the proposal. You can do so online or at the council’s Civic Centre in Harrogate or at libraries in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Poppleton.

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Planetarium could open in Harrogate district next month

A three-year project to create a planetarium in the Harrogate district could come to fruition next month.

The planetarium is based at the Lime Tree Observatory at Grewelthorpe, near Ripon.

The observatory, which opened to the public in 2016, has a 24-inch telescope, screen and sound system and hosts presentations for up to 25 people

Self-confessed planetarium geek Martin Whipp and several other enthusiasts are now close to finalising their latest ambitious venture. It will be one of only about 20 fixed planetariums in the country, and the closest for miles around.

A barn has been converted but the electricity supply needs upgrading before the project can start, and Mr Whipp said he hoped this might happen by mid-November.

Mr Whipp has been to about 100 planetariums around the world and even booked a cruise on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 because it has a planetarium.

Martin Whipp Lime Tree Observatory

Martin Whipp

He said the one at Grewelthorpe would be an interactive facility rather than “one where someone just presses play and you watch”.

But because all those involved are volunteers, it will be open mostly for private bookings at set times.

The observatory is holding three Halloween-themed events during half-term at the end of the month as part of the Dark Skies Festival.

All three have sold out, but the observatory plans to stage three more Christmas-themed events on December 19, 20 and 21.

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Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic update

Temporary lights are due to be put in place on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road this week.

Meanwhile, commuters on Harrogate district trains face further disruption due to strike action.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Traffic is moving as normal during rush hour on Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road this morning.

This week, temporary traffic lights are due in place on Cold Bath Road for five weeks as Northern Gas Networks carries out maintenance work.

According to North Yorkshire County Council’s roadworks map, the measure will be in place from October 7.

Meanwhile, the A59 York Road, between Station Road and the A658 at Goldsborough, remains closed overnight until October 6.

The closure will be in place between 8pm and 5am while North Yorkshire County Council carries out resurfacing work.

A diversion will be in place via Knaresborough, Ferrensby, Minskip to Boroughbridge.

As previously reported, a main road out of Pateley Bridge will be closed for six weeks as repairs are carried out at Fellbeck bridge on the B6265.

Signs for a diversion and a temporary crossing over the river for pedestrians and cyclists are in place.

Trains and buses

Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

However, commuters will face further industrial action on Wednesday (October 5) and next Saturday (October 8) which may affect services from Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Northern, which operates the services, has urged passengers not to travel on strike days.

The strike action comes as rail passengers have also been warned to expect disruption on Harrogate’s LNER services from October 1 until October 9.

Major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail will affect many services on the LNER route during this period.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting cancellations on its 1A, 1B, 1C, 7 and 36 services this morning.

You can find out more on the disruption to services here.

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Masham farmers fundraise in memory of colleagues who died of sepsis

Masham Young Farmers’ Club is fundraising in memory of two local farmers who died after contracting sepsis.

Hannah Brown was in her twenties when she cut her hand and the wound became infected.

David Cooke thought he had covid but also ended up dying of sepsis, which occurs when your immune system overreacts to an infection.

Masham Young Farmers’ Club is working with the UK Sepsis Trust this year to spread awareness of the condition and raise money.

A tractor run in May generated £2,500, now the club has organised an auction of promises, which will take place at Masham Town Hall on October 14. People will bid for donated prizes, which range from a family ticket to the Forbidden Corner to a quad bike package.

Jack Jobling, chairman of the club, which has about 40 members, said sepsis was a cause close to the heart of the farming community. He said:

“Sepsis, if diagnosed early can be treated successfully, however if people are unaware of the signs of the illness it can rapidly become very serious and untreatable.

“Masham Young Farmers’ Club is aiming to not only raise money for the charity, we are trying to increase awareness of sepsis so that people are able to detect signs of the disease faster and therefore save lives.

“This is particularly important within the farming community as farmers often cut themselves and come into contact with muck and other contaminants in their work, and this is one way that an infection can be brought into the body that can lead to sepsis developing.”

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There are 48 lots on offer at the auction. Profit will be donated to the trust, with a small amount kept to go towards club running costs.

Tickets cost £10 and include a buffet. The event will begin with a short talk and video from a trust ambassador and then auctioneer Kenton Foster will sell the lots.

For more details email mashamyfc@gmail.com, call or text 07521 595412 or call 01677 470353.

Extinction Rebellion to bring bus to Harrogate district tomorrow

Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion (XR) will drive a bus to Pateley Bridge and Harrogate tomorrow to talk to people about climate change.

But although the bus has solar panels on its roof, the bus is not electric and is powered by diesel.

A fleet of multicoloured buses have been travelling the country as part of XR’s Change Is Now tour.

The idea is to visit different XR groups and have conversations with local people about their climate change hopes and fears.

Tomorrow morning, the bus will be in Pateley Bridge to promote a film called 2040, which is showing at Summerbridge Methodist Chapel from 6.30pm that evening. Entry is free.

They will then park up in Harrogate and head to Cambridge Street between 12pm and 4pm to talk to people and canvas views.

A petition calling on the government to take firmer action on climate change will be available to sign.

People can also bring along plain t-shirts or fabrics to get them block-printed with XR graphics.

James Smith, from XR Harrogate, said:

“People really want to talk about climate change.

“When they talk, it becomes more real to people and they then might take action.”

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Mr Smith said he was expecting some criticism about XR using a diesel bus rather than an electric one.

He added:

“Even a group of totally committed green activists have to use a diesel bus, there are no viable, affordable electric buses.

“But this is the point — no matter how green you are you can’t always take the eco, fossil fuel free option that you’d like. We’re calling on the government to plan and fund a zero-carbon economy. “

Extinction Rebellion’s visit will also coincide with the Green Party’s national conference, which is taking place from Friday until Sunday at Harrogate Convention Centre.

Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic update

Commuters should be aware of upcoming rail strikes in the Harrogate district which will see no trains run on Saturday.

Meanwhile, planned roadworks remain in place across the district which may cause delays for drivers.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Traffic is moving as normal during rush hour on Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road this morning.

However, temporary traffic lights remain in place on the A661 Harrogate Road between Harrogate and Spofforth, which may cause delays for drivers heading towards Wetherby.

Northern Gas Networks are carrying out maintenance work on the route. The lights will be in place until September 30.

The A59 York Road, between Station Road and the A658 at Goldsborough, will be closed overnight until October 6.

The closure will be in place between 8pm and 5am while North Yorkshire County Council carries out resurfacing work.

A diversion will be in place via Knaresborough, Ferrensby, Minskip to Boroughbridge.

As previously reported, a main road out of Pateley Bridge will be closed for six weeks as repairs are carried out at Fellbeck bridge on the B6265.

Signs for a diversion and a temporary crossing over the river for pedestrians and cyclists are in place.

Northern Gas Networks has implemented a road closure on Montpellier Road until September 30 as part of maintenance work.

Trains and buses

Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

However, no Northern trains will run from Harrogate and Knaresborough to York and Leeds on Saturday due to strike action.

Commuters will face further industrial action on Wednesday (October 5) and next Saturday (October 8) which may affect services from Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Northern, which operates the services, has urged passengers not to travel on strike days.

The strike action comes as rail passengers have also been warned to expect disruption on Harrogate’s LNER services from October 1 until October 9.

Major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail will affect many services on the LNER route during this period.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting cancellations on its 36 service this morning.

You can find out more on the disruption to services here.

Read more: