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.

Otley Road cycle path benefits nobody

There has been much debate concerning cycle paths in Harrogate with Otley Road being the prime example.

It has been known from the outset that this was not a segregated path like in European cities, rather mainly just shared pavement. However some people are only just realising this.

At side roads there is some segregated cycle path, with the cars set back, blocking the pedestrians who wish to cross. A bus shelter removed, grass removed, more tarmac with 36 new metal signs and 32 painted white cycles on the tarmac over 600m of highway. An attractive entrance into Harrogate now full of street furniture.

At Harlow Moor Road, the grass has gone, trees felled (mainly but not solely for the road users) and the pavement much narrowed, but no decrease in traffic. The junction is much worse for pedestrians, squeezed up next to the road, no grass verge between car and pedestrian.

Government guidelines for good cycle infrastructure design say:

“Cycles must be treated as vehicles and not as pedestrians. On urban streets, cyclists must be physically separated from pedestrians and should not share space with pedestrians”.

The Otley Road cycle path totally disregards this and other aspects of the guidelines. This cycle path is sub-standard; it benefits no-one, not cyclists, not pedestrians, not residents, anything but an example of good design.

I have been criticised by cycling lobbyists for advocating infrastructure that meets modern standards. Being an Otley Road resident, I observe at first hand, much more than the cycling groups or North Yorkshire County Council in Northallerton, what happens on this road. I have much more contact with local residents; the overwhelming opinion, regarding what has happened to our local environment is not favourable.

Everything done by NYCC penalises pedestrians. Pedestrians do not like sharing pavements with cycles passing close by, often unheard. Segregated cycle paths, benefit both the cyclist and the pedestrian. So for a better sustainable transport system, we need much more involvement of local people and wider engagement – why does NYCC exclude residents?

We need this involvement to be fair to all and to get some consensus into this subject. We need to involve other means of transport, e.g. improvements in bus services, park and ride, improvements for pedestrians.

The nature of the existing built environment and maintaining a green environment in a floral town needs to be taken into account too. I fear otherwise Harrogate will only be changed for the worse not the better.

Chris Dicken, Otley Road, Harrogate

Read more:

• Cycling group to meet council to raise concerns about Otley Road cycle path
• Decision delayed on £13m Knaresborough Leisure Centre after residents not invited to speak at meeting
• Ghosthunting with a paranormal investigator on the Stray

Many people in Knaresborough welcome the new pool

Can I just offer an opinion on the contribution entitled ‘Harrogate is riding roughshod over Knaresborough with this unwanted new pool’

As a resident of Knaresborough, can I just say this certainly doesn’t reflect my views so please don’t let this person suggest they speak on my behalf.

I think the new centre is a brilliant idea. We need to get provision into the 21st century. So if this person still wants to wallow in the past, great, but don’t drag the rest of us down with them !

Ian Brown, Knaresborough

Ghosts on the Stray

Me and my husband saw a cult like gathering on The Stray playing bongo drums in the corner where the stone shelter is. It was so creepy and now we have seen that someone else thinks that The Stray is haunted we have come forward.

Carol Moore, Harrogate

After storms on Friday and snow yesterday, the Harrogate district faces severe flooding problems today.

Sixteen flood alerts and more serious flood warnings are currently active in the district. Travel is difficult and the water gardens at Fountains Abbey have been “totally devastated”

Eleven of the flood warnings and alerts are for the River Nidd, with the government’s flood alert service saying:

“Flooding is forecast to affect locations near the River Nidd, with low lying land expected to be most affected, particularly around riverside properties at Nidderdale Lodge and Alder Avenue, Knaresborough Caravan Parks and Goldsborough Mill Farm.

“Monitor local water levels and weather conditions. Consider putting your flood plan into action.

“You should avoid walking, cycling or driving through flood water. Further heavy rain is forecast during Sunday and levels are expected to continue rising.

A warning is in place for the Upper Nidd. It says:

“Areas most at risk include low lying land around the Upper River Nidd and its tributaries including How Stean Beck, Blayshaw Gill, Ramsgill Beck, Lul Beck, Foster Beck, Fosse Gill, Fell Beck and Darley Beck.”

A full list of alerts and warnings is available here;

The National Trust has emailed to say Fountains Abbey is staying closed today and tomorrow after the water garden was “totally devastated by flooding” today, according to a spokeswoman.

She said:

“We’re sadly seeing the devastating effects of the ongoing extreme weather today in the water garden.

“It’s too soon to tell what the overall impact of the storm will be but we are assessing any damage when it’s safe to do so. If you’re planning a visit please check our website before you set off as we’re likely to have some periods of closure to parts of the estate. We will remain closed tomorrow.”

Heavy snowfall this afternoon caused widespread disruption.

Roads have been gridlocked in Harrogate town centre and Harrogate Town’s match has been postponed.

Follow live coverage below. Send your updates to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

A DPD van gets stuck after going around the barrier on Beech Grove and trying to cross the Stray…

5.24pm – Knaresborough FC have fun in the snow

Knaresborough FC played an interclub game in the snow this afternoon because Hestle were unable to fulfil the fixture.

Matthew Youngson from the club sent us this photo. He said:

“We also retired our number 11 jersey for the weekend due to the unfortunate passing of a player down south last weekend.”

4.38pm – A59 now clear

https://twitter.com/northyorkswx/status/1495071961889841155

4.11pm – Things returning to normal on the roads.

The situation appears to be getting back to normal on the district’s roads.

Thanks to reader Gordon Tennant for sending these images of Leeds Road in Harrogate earlier today.

3.43pm – Transdev appeals for patience on buses

Transdev, which owns the Harrogate Bus Company, is urging people to be patient and use its app to keep up to date with journeys in the snow,

Our teams are doing their best in snowy conditions. #HarrogateElectrics 3, #Dalesbus 36 and #The 7 have started to run again.

Please follow #Transdevgo app for live departures from your stop

@northyorkscc pic.twitter.com/oeKyQwtb5o

— The Harrogate Bus Company (@harrogatebus) February 19, 2022

3.18pm – Harlow Carr closes today and tomorrow

⚠️ CLOSED SUNDAY 20TH FEBRUARY
Unfortunately due to the forecast of yet more wind and heavy rain, the garden will be closed on Sunday, this is for the safety of everyone. We apologise for any inconvenience and thank all our customers for your continued understanding. pic.twitter.com/7MUv6cXGLc

— RHS Harlow Carr (@RHSHarlowCarr) February 19, 2022

3.15pm – Snow easing in Harrogate — what’s it like near you?

As forecast, snow is easing in Harrogate. Rain is forecast so the snow might not last long. What’s the situation like in higher and more rural parts of the district, like Greenhow and Blubberhouses? Is the traffic bad in other towns like Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Pateley Bridge, or in the city of Ripon? Let us know by emailing contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

3.07pm – Fountains Abbey closes early

The World Heritage Site near Ripon looks glorious in snow but people will have to admire it from a distance for the rest of the day as it has taken the decision to close early.

Well… That escalated quickly!
We've had unexpected heavy snow fall here and it's now forecast to keep going until early evening.
We've made the decision to close to make sure our visitors and team can get home safely.
It's proper Yorkshire weather! pic.twitter.com/pindOjHXnm

— Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust (@fountainsabbey) February 19, 2022

2.50pm – Cars heading down Parliament Street in the snow

A reader has sent this footage of cars driving slowly down Parliament Street in the snow this afternoon.

2.45pm – Yellow weather warning until 3pm

The Met Office yellow weather warning for snow remains in place until 3pm.

It warns that longer journey times by road, bus and train services should be expected.

2.34pm – Gridlock in Harrogate town centre

Traffic is at a standstill on Cheltenham Parade in Harrogate town centre.

2.11pm: Traffic problems building up

Reports of long delays on many main routes in the Harrogate district – particularly around Parliament Street and  Cheltenham Parade.

1.50pm: Harrogate Town match off

Town were due to entertain Leyton Orient at 3pm.

❌ GAME OFF ❌

This afternoon’s @SkyBetLeagueTwo fixture against @leytonorientfc has been postponed #ProudToBeTown pic.twitter.com/M3PS9g1lVt

— Harrogate Town AFC (@HarrogateTown) February 19, 2022

Heavy snowfall has covered the Harrogate district this afternoon.

Up to 4cm of snow could eventually fall although higher areas are likely to be worst affected.

It is one of three Met Office yellow weather warnings in place over the next three days.

Today’s snow warning lasts until 3pm. The Met Office says:

“Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services.”

Read more:

• Dramatic photos show firefighters saving Bilton tree in storm
• Storm Eunice eases after uprooting trees in Harrogate district

A warning for rain begins at midnight and lasts until 6pm tomorrow.

“Flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely/ Spray and flooding on roads probably making journey times longer.”

There is also a warning in place for wind from noon tomorrow until 3pm on Monday.

A yellow weather warning is in force across the Harrogate district this afternoon as Storm Eunice brings rain and winds of up to 60mph.

A Met Office yellow weather warning means residents can expect more disruption to roads and public transport and there’s a chance of damage to trees and buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs.

Strong winds are forecast until 9pm today when it is set to subside.

The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning for ice from 6pm this evening until 9am tomorrow.

A yellow warning for rain has been issued for Sunday between midnight and 6pm.

Follow all the latest updates below.

6.30pm: Harrogate town centre traffic lights not working

There are reports the traffic lights at the junction of Station Parade and Victoria Road in Harrogate are not working. It’s not known if it is related to the storm but it is making it difficult to pull out of Victoria Road at the moment.

5.45pm: Trains to Leeds cancelled.

Northern is running a reduced service to-and-from Leeds this evening with several trains cancelled due to the weather.

Trains will be leaving Harrogate Station every hour rather than twice an hour until 20.18. After that, only one more train is scheduled to leave at 23.18.

Visit National Rail for the latest updates.

5.40pm: Father and daughter see tree fall into cabman’s shelter

A father and daughter have told of the moment they watched a tree come crashing down on a cabman’s shelter on West Park Stray in Harrogate.

Colin Reynolds and his daughter, Lauren Reynolds, had just driven around the Prince of Wales roundabout and on to West Park Stray when they noticed the mature tree splinter.

You can read more here.

5.15pm: Tree crashes into cabman’s shelter on West Park Stray

A tree has just come crashing down on to West Park Stray. Traffic is reduced to single lane.

4.59pm: Tree down in Harrogate

Beckwith Head Road.

4.56pm: Gritters out tonight

We are #gritting priority roads across #NorthYorkshire overnight.

Road surface temperatures will widely fall below zero leading to a widespread risk of ice.

Remember gritting doesn't guarantee an ice or snow-free surface.

More info https://t.co/6cnhGrxFu6 pic.twitter.com/itSpVUu2as

— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) February 18, 2022

4.51: North Yorkshire Police issues safety advice

– Check your windscreen wipers and all of your car’s lights are working

– Gusts of wind can unsettle vehicles so keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel at all times
• If a road is flooded, turn around. Never drive through floodwater@HighwaysYORKS for travel updates pic.twitter.com/4YRqTQQCxj

— North Yorkshire Police (@NYorksPolice) February 18, 2022

4.35pm: Increase in calls for firefighters

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has noticed an increase in incidents in the last hour.

We've had a busy day with various incidents but only just getting a few storm related incidents in the past hour – a tree fallen onto a house in #Selby, unsafe chimney stack in #Bentham and a tree blocking the #A162 in #Tadcaster and an unsafe roof in #Harrogate

— North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (@NorthYorksFire) February 18, 2022

4.15pm: Tree down in Weeton

A tree has fallen in the wind on Weeton Lane in Weeton and is blocking the road.

3pm: Tarpaulin in Bilton

A roof tarpaulin has landed on a driveway in Bilton this afternoon.

A father and daughter have told of the moment they watched a tree come crashing down on a cabman’s shelter on West Park Stray in Harrogate.

Colin Reynolds and his daughter, Lauren Reynolds, had just driven around the Prince of Wales roundabout and on to West Park Stray when they noticed the mature tree splinter.

A large section of the tree, which is alongside one of the busiest streets in Harrogate, fell — fortunately in the opposite direction of the road. It damaged the roof of the distinctive green shelter

Lauren said they had just been discussing how the storm hadn’t been too bad when the incident happened.

She added:

“It was lucky it didn’t fall in the other direction or it could have killed someone.”

Read more:

• LIVE: Tree crashes into cabman’s shelter on West Park Stray
• New Harrogate market and popular attractions hit by looming Storm Eunice

The father and daughter, who live in Harrogate, pulled over to check if anybody was hurt. Luckily nobody was passing at the time.

Colin said:

“We were worried that somebody might be under the tree. There’s also a power chord in a lighting cable that was in the tree.”

The cabman’s shelter

After checking nobody was hurt, they dialled 999.

A council worker was on hand almost immediately to prevent traffic using the inside lane.

An air ambulance was summoned to the Harrogate district today when three people were injured in a car crash.

The air ambulance was called to assist other emergency services at the scene of the collision on the B6165 between Nidd and Brearton.

The incident is believed to have happened at about 1pm this afternoon.

According to reports on social media, three fire engines and three ambulances were at the scene.

It is unknown how many vehicles were involved but Yorkshire Air Ambulance confirmed three people were injured.

A spokesperson said:

“Our paramedics provided on-scene medical support to three patients and those who needed further treatment were taken to hospital by land ambulance.”

The extent of injuries in unclear.

The Stray Ferret has asked North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service for details but has yet to receive a response.

Read more:

• Fresh calls to reinstate Harrogate Wedderburn bus
• ‘End this farce’: Kirkby Malzeard wall to finally be rebuilt

Boroughbridge High School has maintained its ‘good’ Ofsted rating — but the schools inspector indicated the grade “might not be as high” if it had carried out a full inspection.

The 446-pupil school’s Ofsted report was published this week following a short inspection on January 11 and 12.

The school received a ‘good’ grading in its last full Ofsted inspection in 2012.

Schools assessed to be ‘good’ do not receive graded judgements on their next visit.

Instead they are subject to short inspections and if Ofsted finds evidence that they would now receive a higher or lower grade, they are told they will receive a full inspection next time — which is what happened in this instance.

The school was commended for its approach to tackling bullying. Pupils said they know adults will help if it occurs and it is “very rare”. The school was also praised for creating a positive atmosphere where pupils feel safe.

The report added leaders have coped well with the pandemic and have adapted the curriculum to ensure pupils have time to catch-up on missed work, such as science lessons.

Enrichment opportunities and the focus on individual pupils’ needs also earned praise. Safeguarding was deemed “effective”.

Classroom disruption

But the report raised concerns around an ‘inconsistent approach to dealing with low-level disruption’ — a view shared by parents.

It also said ‘teachers do not always make their expectations clear’ and ‘plans to develop pupils’ love of reading are not well embedded’.

Inspectors will return to the school within two years for a full inspection.

The report says:

“In some lessons, some pupils lack engagement. Teachers do not always have high enough expectations of pupils’ behaviour in lessons.  Staff do not consistently apply expectations around uniform. Consequently, pupils’ attitudes are variable.

“Governors do not challenge leaders about standards of behaviour, to ensure that what leaders tell them is accurate.”

Kathryn Stephenson, the school headteacher

Read more:

• Moves to close Woodfield School in Bilton to begin next week
• Foundation to run sports clubs for disadvantaged children in Harrogate

Sixth form closure

School governors decided this month to temporarily close the sixth form in the summer due to issues with funding and declining student numbers.

The Ofsted report says there are currently only 12 sixth form students.

All courses and pastoral support will transfer to King James’s School in Knaresborough. The two schools federated last year.

Warning: some readers may find aspects of this article distressing

A former Harrogate hospital IT worker was labelled a danger to children as he was jailed yet again for downloading images of children.

Martin Richard Shepherd, 50, from Harrogate, was already under lifetime curbs on his internet use after being convicted of downloading three-quarters of a million indecent images of children in 2017.

But when police officers paid him an impromptu visit in September 2020, they found he had been deleting “vast” amounts of data on his computer, York Crown Court heard.

Analysis of his devices revealed that the computer buff had downloaded hundreds more images – including videos featuring child rape – while on prison licence and subject to a lifetime sexual-harm prevention order to stop him trawling the web for illicit material.

Shepherd, who had “curated” the images according to their levels of depravity, told officers he found “irresistible” the urge to view images of children being sexually abused.

He admitted possessing indecent images and appeared for sentence via video link on Thursday.

Jailed for five years in 2017

The court heard he was working as an IT expert at Harrogate District Hospital at the time of his original offences in 2016, when police found about 750,000 indecent images of children on his computer devices.

This led to a five-year jail sentence in 2017 for possessing and distributing indecent images, as well as two counts of voyeurism and computer misuse in relation to his work at the hospital.

Shepherd, described as a loner, served half of that sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence in July 2019.

In September 2020, police monitoring officers made an unannounced visit to his home in Harrogate and found he had been deleting a “vast amount” of data from an Android tablet, in breach of the sexual-harm prevention order. This resulted in a further two-year jail sentence in January last year for four breaches of the order.

However, no illegal images were found at the time and it was not until later that a further police investigation unearthed yet more images of children which Shepherd had stored on five memory sticks.

Deleting images

Prosecutor Jonathan Foy said that Shepherd, formerly of Chatsworth Grove, had started deleting the images – about 125 gigabytes in total – within six months of being released from prison. Mr Foy said:

“When interviewed, he admitted that as soon as he was released from custody, his temptation to (view) pornographic images of children was something he found irresistible.”

Analysis of the devices revealed that Shepherd had downloaded hundreds of indecent images of all levels of seriousness, including 148 photos and videos rated Category A – the worst kind of such material. They included images of girls aged between four and 11 years of age being raped by adult men. One of the children in the depraved movie clips was unconscious.

Read more:

• Harrogate man fined for damaging train
• Man exposes himself at Harrogate’s RHS Harlow Carr

Mr Foy said:

“He troubles himself not only to obtain (the indecent images), but to separately save them (on USB sticks), curate them (in terms of) highest quality”

There were a “large number” of young victims featured in the scenes.

Downloading indecent images since 2002

The court heard that Shepherd, who worked in the hospital’s IT department for 22 years, had been downloading indecent images of children since 2002, but his computer skills enabled him to encrypt the huge stash of material and avoid detection for 14 years.

In 2016, police cyber-crime detectives finally snared him and found that he had amassed about three-quarters of a million indecent images of children.

They found a “massive library collection” of images featuring the serious sexual abuse of “very young” children including 12-month-old babies and youngsters who had been drugged or plied with alcohol.

Shepherd had painstakingly catalogued the images in 22 encrypted volumes and used an “extremely-complex” system of passwords to hide them. He also distributed about 20 depraved videos on a paedophilic file-sharing site.

His previous conviction for voyeurism related to two young women whom he secretly filmed getting undressed and walking around naked at a property in Harrogate after setting up covert video equipment. Those offences occurred between 2005 and 2012.

The previous offence of computer misuse, or gaining unauthorised access to private computer files, occurred at Harrogate District Hospital where Shepherd, who was working in the IT department, had somehow “abstracted” photos from a family computer of a young girl in her underwear, bikini and school uniform.

Resigned from hospital in 2016

Ashleigh Metcalfe, mitigating, said Shepherd had been on custodial remand for over a year and had been working in Hull Prison’s upholstery department.

However, a probation report noted that since being forced to resign from his hospital job in 2016 following his arrest for the original offences, Shepherd had spent much of his time searching for indecent images of children.

Judge Simon Hickey said the discovery of even more indecent images “reinforced” his opinion that Shepherd was a dangerous offender “and that he will simply continue to reoffend”.

He said he had noted the “extremely young” ages of the children featuring in the sordid videos.

He told Shepherd:

“You admitted (to police) that you can’t stop yourself finding children of this age irresistible. You were downloading a vast amount of material. The children depicted are clearly vulnerable and visibly distressed.”

Shepherd, described as intelligent, was jailed for 12 months. He will be released from jail halfway through that sentence but will then have to serve an extended two-year period on prison licence.

Mr Hickey also added 10 new prohibitions to the sexual-harm prevention order for the protection of the public, namely young girls. Shepherd will remain on the sex-offenders’ register for life.

Fiery exchanges erupted as North Yorkshire County Council approved levying close to the maximum permitted council tax rise after hearing residents were facing a financial “perfect storm”.

The last full meeting of the authority ahead of elections for a new unitary authority in May saw the authority’s chairman repeatedly intervene in debates to restore “dacorum and dignity” to proceedings as councillors accused each other of failing to protect the most needy residents.

Conservative councillors claimed as much of the rise was to cover soaring social care costs, it would be “reckless not to fund our responsibilities”, while opposition members told the meeting the increase would prove impossible to meet for many households.

Proposing a below-inflation council tax rise of 3.99%, which will mean the authority’s bills for the average Band D property increase by £56 to £1,467, its deputy leader and finance boss Cllr Gareth Dadd said the council’s budget aimed to protect services for vulnerable people while leaving “a legacy” for the new authority to inherit.

Read more:

• Energy crisis could mean £796 increase for Harrogate district households
• Harrogate ranked most expensive place in Yorkshire for first-time buyers

He told the meeting the increase struck a balance between those key ambitions and protecting taxpayers as “our instinct has always been to maintain a council tax rise as low as practically pragmatically possible.”

Cllr Dadd said the authority had “gone some way to reducing the burden on the tax-paying public of North Yorkshire” by not levying the maximum 4.49 per cent council tax precept increase.

Cllr Stuart Parsons, leader of the council’s Independent group, said the authority was banking on residents not noticing the council’s precept increase, alongside others being levied by the police and fire services and borough, district and parish councils, due to the government’s £150 council tax rebate for some households.

He said: 

“What we have to remember is that £150 will disappear in a year. Then there is the cost of living crisis and we do not appear to be making any effort to help people with that.”

Cllr Parsons said there was a significant section of society that just missed out on financial help such as free school meals that could not afford the council tax increase.

Harrogate district council tax hikes 2022/23

• North Yorkshire County Council – £1,467 – 3.99% increase
• Harrogate Borough Council – £255.92 – 1.99% increase
• North Yorkshire Police – £281.06 – 3.69% increase
• North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue – £75.61 – 1.98% increase

Total Band D bill: £2,079.59

Independent councillor for Malton Lindsay Burr added with high inflation, wages effectively falling and national insurance increases being introduced at the same time as the council tax hike in April, the authority had a chance to ease pressures on residents.

She said: 

“Surely there has never been such a justified time to freeze the council tax and listen to all those residents who are pleading with us to try and help them. Average families are now having to use food banks.

“The perfect storm is gathering as we all know. Maybe it is time we stop and help a little bit and not add fuel to the fire.”

Cllr Bryn Griffiths told the meeting was Liberal Democrat group was also opposing the rise as adult social care was an urgent national issue.

Ahead of 53 councillors voting for the increase, three abstaining and three against the rise, Cllr Eric Broadbent said the Labour group “reluctantly” supported the regressive tax increase as “the last thing we want to see is any reduction in critical services”.