Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning. It’s Leah with you on this Friday morning, it’s is nearly the weekend! The roads have been a little quieter in the last few weeks but make sure to let me know if anything slows you down.

This blog, brought to you by the HACS Group, brings you live travel updates until 9am.

Were you stuck in a jam? Are there some new roadworks on your route? Let’s help everyone have a smoother journey by letting me know so I can add it to the blog.

Please give me a call on 01423 276197 or join our Facebook group ‘Harrogate district traffic and travel’ to give any updates.

9am – Full Update 

That is it from me this morning, I will be back with you on Monday from 06.30. Have a lovely weekend.

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7:30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

£20m bid to replace Harrogate buses with electric fleet

An entire fleet of buses in Harrogate could be replaced with electric models as part of an ambitious £20 million bid.

North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) is working with the Harrogate Bus Company, part of Transdev, on a bid for more than £8 million in government money.

Transdev has also proposed to prop up the bid with £11.5 million of its own funds.

If successful, Harrogate would welcome a total of 39 zero-emission buses over the next three years.

The buses come with next stop announcements, USB power and free wifi.

There would be an even split of single-decker and double-decker electric buses which would come with supporting charging infrastructure.

Now, the Department for Transport (DfT) has asked the council to submit a business case for the project.

Read more:

The bid must be submitted by the end of January 2022 with a decision from the DfT expected by March 2022.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, the executive member for access at NYCC, said:

“We’re near the start of a competitive process and success is not guaranteed, but this action illustrates the scale of our ambition and commitment.

“This project aligns with the decarbonisation ambitions we share with partners across the region to protect the environment and counter climate change.

“It would accelerate improvements in air quality, as zero emission vehicles produce no tail pipe emissions, bringing health benefits to residents and visitors.”

Alex Hornby, CEO at Transdev, said:

“We have already created a low-emission bus fleet in Harrogate thanks to the huge investment we have made in the past few years.

“We hope this bid will lead to the next exciting step of our vision to create a completely zero-emission bus network, powered by a fully-electric fleet.

“With our partners at North Yorkshire County Council, we aim to create further improvements in infrastructure.

“This comes at a time when we believe our town is ready to embrace more sustainable forms of travel.”

Manchester firm set to take on Harrogate Christmas Market

A Manchester events firm is set to take on Harrogate Christmas Market this year after a row over health and safety concerns.

Harrogate Borough Council has now entered into formal talks with Market Place Europe, which is based in Ashton-Under-Lyne.

The council said that the company is planning to hold a 10-day event from  December 3 to December 12 rather than the usual four-day market.

At this stage it is unclear where the new Harrogate Christmas market will take place but it will be in the town centre.

It is also unclear if the 170 traders and 53 coaches booked in with the former organisers will move over to the new Christmas market.

Market Place Europe is behind the Christmas markets in Glasgow and Belfast. The company also organises a number of food markets across the UK.

Read more:

Gemma Rio, head of destination management at Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“I am pleased to see that Market Place Europe has submitted an expression of interest to hold a Christmas market in Harrogate town centre this December.

“To have interest from an organisation with vast experience of operating successful markets across the UK is a great opportunity for the district.

“We look forward to working with them, and our local partners, to ensure this event is delivered safely and drives visitors into the town.”

Councillor Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“From what I’ve seen, Market Place Europe have years of experience hosting events. So I know they’ll bring an abundance of knowledge to Harrogate this Christmas.

“You’ve only got to look at the photos online from markets they’ve hosted in major cities such as Belfast and Glasgow to see what they’ll bring is a first-class offering.”

This news comes just over two weeks after Harrogate Borough Council refused a licence for Harrogate Christmas Market run by Brian Dunsby OBE on Montpellier Hill.

Representatives from the founding organisers at Harrogate Christmas Market Ltd met with two council officers on Tuesday.

It was the first time the two groups met but after 90 minutes of talks the council issued a statement saying alternative locations “have been refused” by the current organisers.

The council also said it would “move forward to ensure Harrogate hosts safe, vibrant and attractive Christmas festivities this year”.

Woman says it’s ‘impossible’ to move to Harrogate whilst on Universal Credit

A woman wanting to rent a property in Harrogate says “it seems impossible” to find an estate agent that will accept her because she receives Universal Credit.

Karen Andrew was born and brought up in Harrogate but has lived in Essex for the last 20 years.

After splitting up with her partner she wants to return to be closer to her family but said she feels discriminated against by estate agents and landlords because of her situation.

She also owns a three-year-old Staffy-cross dog which has posed another obstacle in her search for somewhere to live.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“The second you mention Universal Credit or a dog they don’t want to know.

“I want to move back to my hometown and I didn’t think it would be this difficult.”

Ms Andrew, who works part-time at a school and hopes to find a new job in Harrogate, said estate agents need to “look at the bigger picture”.

“Just because you have a dog and are on Universal Credit you’re not a scumbag.”

Universal Credit is a monthly payment for people on low incomes or out of work. It can include a housing element at a rate that is set by the local authority. Ms Andrew is looking for a one-bedroom property in Harrogate at the Local Housing Allowance rate of £523.55.

Read more:

Ms Andrew said one estate agent, Linley & Simpson, would only recommend her as a tenant to their landlords if she provided six months’ rent upfront which she said she does not have.

She is currently in limbo in Essex whilst she searches for a property in Harrogate that accepts her.

She added: 

“We are meant to be a nation of dog and pet lovers but I haven’t found this to be the case while looking for a property to rent.

“Claiming Universal Credit does not mean that you can’t be bothered or don’t want to work. Lots of people on Universal Credit are working but are on a low income.”

A spokesperson for Linley & Simpson told the Stray Ferret that all tenants have to pass a credit check from Goodlord that assesses their financial situation.

They said any decision to allow pets is up to the landlord but that they would be happy to speak to Ms Andrew again to discuss her situation.

They added:

“Our job as the agent is to find a suitable tenant who is capable of covering the cost of the rent for the duration of the tenancy. The same criteria is applied to all applicants.”

Earlier this year, the National Residential Landlords Association called on the government to improve the Universal Credit administration system so the benefit can better support tenants.

Harrogate neighbours of jailed Yoko Banks ‘planning a street party’

Residents of Scargill Road in Harrogate who lived near ‘nightmare neighbour’ Yoko Banks said they might have a street party after she was sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison for drug offences last week.

The 73-year-old businesswoman rented out her properties on Alexandra Road, Woodlands Road and Somerset Road to an Albanian gang for “industrial” cannabis production.

Richard Heritage, who is close friends with an elderly couple who lived next door to Ms Banks on Scargill Road, told the Stray Ferret that neighbours have suffered years of bad behaviour from the guesthouse owner and her mastiff dog. He described Ms Banks as “infamous” in Harrogate.

He said:

“The first thing one resident of Scargill Road told me when they heard she was sentenced was, ‘we ought to get a street party organised’.”

Mr Heritage said Ms Banks lived in the house on-and-off for many years before moving into it full time before the first covid lockdown in March 2020. The street is off Ripon Road near the Harrogate Hydro.

He alleges her dog was allowed to roam the street unattended and would bite other animals.

“The dog tried, two or three times, to attack my friend’s cross-breed. The dog roamed the street. It could have been a child.

“People would call Harrogate Borough Council’s dog wardens and the police who would never do anything about it.”

He also alleges the dog even attempted to bite a postman, which led the Royal Mail to suspend deliveries on the street from December 2020 to February 2021. Residents had to go to the sorting office on Claro Road to collect their post.

The Royal Mail confirmed the incident took place when asked by the Stray Ferret and said deliveries only resumed when Ms Banks put a fence up to keep the dog away from postal staff.

Read More:

Mr Heritage said there would be arguments and shouting coming from Ms Banks house often late into the night. He also said she would pile her garden high with unwanted objects, including three abandoned vehicles.

“She felt she could do whatever she wanted without being questioned. She’d tell my friends to f*** off.”

He said whilst residents are relieved she is now behind bars, they are worried that she will return to Scargill Road when she is released.

“They’ve had 12 years of her. It’s been a hard 12 years for them. It’s never relaxed and it’s been constant all the time.

“People ended up not calling the police. They said, ‘Whats the point? they never come out’.

“Will prison will teach her a lesson? At 73 years old she’s very set in her ways.”

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“We provided the dog owner with guidance and advice on how to properly manage her dog. Any enforcement action would be a police matter.”

North Yorkshire Police told the Stray Ferret that there was no investigation into Ms Banks’ treatment of her dog.

Plans to demolish and replace Harrogate’s former Debenhams building

The owner of the former Debenhams site on Parliament Street in Harrogate has unveiled plans to demolish it to make way for a brand new building that includes four floors of “high quality” apartments.

Wetherby-based property firm Stirling Prescient has posted a notice on the window of the former department store about its plans for the site, which has been empty since Debenhams closed for good in January this year.

It says the owner wants to build a new five-floor structure with retail, leisure and food and drink units on the ground floor and 1,2 and 3-bedroom apartments on the upper floors. There would also be a basement floor for car parking and bicycle storage.

The site had been a retail staple on Parliament Street for over a century. Before Debenhams, it housed the Buckley’s and Busby’s stores.

The statement adds there is no longer demand for the Victorian-era building to be used as a department store and it is not suitable for conversion to smaller units due to the building’s layout and age.

It warns if the building cannot be brought back into use the empty building could become an “eyesore” and “blight the high street”.

Another image of the proposals

 

How the store looked previously

Read more:

The statement continues:

“The site is in Harrogate’s conservation area and is surrounded by a number of Grade II listed buildings and monuments. These heritage sensitivities have informed the contemporary and high-quality design of the development from the outset.”

The Stray Ferret has approached Stirling Prescient for more information about the development.

No formal planning application has been submitted but the owner is inviting comments from the public at the following email address: planning@westminsterhouseharrogate.co.uk

Read Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam’s history of the Debenhams building here.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, happy Wednesday day. It’s Leah with you on this bright Wednesday morning. The roads have been a little quieter in the last few weeks but make sure to let me know if anything slows you down.

This blog, brought to you by the HACS Group, brings you live travel updates until 9am.

Were you stuck in a jam? Are there some new roadworks on your route? Let’s help everyone have a smoother journey by letting me know so I can add it to the blog.

Please give me a call on 01423 276197 or join our Facebook group ‘Harrogate district traffic and travel’ to give any updates.

9am – Full Update 

That is it from me this morning, Connor will be back with you tomorrow.

Roads

Traffic is starting to build on the roads this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is starting to build on the roads this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is starting to build on the roads this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

Fire Ants’ fight to establish rugby league in Harrogate

A group of rugby league players struggling to establish the sport in the Harrogate district are taking on a fundraising challenge next month to raise money for their club.

Harrogate Fire Ants has had a short but turbulent existence. Founded last year, it first found it difficult to train because of covid and then at the beginning of this year the club had to rebuild from scratch after a change in personnel at the helm.

The team only had eight players for its first match in June but its fortunes picked up after Laura Symmonds, whose husband Tommy O’Sullivan plays for the Fire Ants, took charge and recruited new players.

The season has now ended and preparations for 2022 have begun. Weekly training takes place at Harrogate Railway FC in Starbeck, where the club is based, and there is also a weekly fun rugby-style fitness camp on the Stray for men and women of all abilities. Newcomers are welcome.

Some Fire Ants players are planning to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge on September 12 to raise funds for the club.

Read more:

Fire Ants player Jonny Binns said:

“it was tough at first and we thought we would have to fold. We were not in a great position. We had no one to run the club and were training on the Stray with very low numbers and struggling to recruit.

“Through Laura’s hard work we are now in a great position to build as a club and we are working hard to recruit new players.

“We have a new kit on the way and recently secured the help from a local coach. We have built a strong committee who are all very committed and hard working. We all believe that the Harrogate Fire Ants has a bright future ahead.”

You can support the Fire Ants’ Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge here.

Money raised from the challenge will also go towards Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity.

 

 

Former Joe Manby site in Harrogate to be divided into five units

Plans have been lodged to divide a former Harrogate events company base into five industrial units.

The proposal for the Joe Manby Ltd site at Hookstone Park would see the 3,355 square metre unit partially demolished and divided up.

Meanwhile, the number of car parking spaces would be increased from 12 to 40.

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.

Read more:

Joe Manby Ltd folded last October after 46 years in business. The company employed 30 people and organised more than 50 events a year.

Andrew Manby, director of the firm, had been vocal in calling for more government support for the beleaguered conference and exhibition industry.

Mr Manby told the Stray Ferret “it was a heartbreaking decision” to close the company down.

At the time, he said the government’s job retention scheme had kept the business ticking over but it was difficult to survive without a clear date for return

New event organiser set to take over Harrogate Christmas Market

Harrogate Borough Council has said it will now ‘actively work’ with a new event organiser on a Christmas market this year after unsuccessful talks with the current organisers this morning.

Representatives from Harrogate Christmas Market Ltd, which created the market on Montpellier Hill, met two council officers to resolve a dispute that erupted when the council refused to grant a licence for this year’s event due to safety concerns.

But after 90 minutes of talks the council issued a statement saying alternative locations “have been refused” and that it would now “move forward to ensure Harrogate hosts safe, vibrant and attractive Christmas festivities this year”.

A spokesman added:

“Another event organiser has approached us with great enthusiasm to bring their business and expertise to Harrogate town centre this Christmas. And we will now actively work with them to help formalise that discussion.”

He declined to say who the event organiser was.

Read more:

Brian Dunsby, one of the current organisers, told the Stray Ferret the council officers at today’s meeting had agreed there was no better alternative to Montpellier Hill.

An assessment of alternative Christmas market locations conducted on behalf of the organisers this year considered Valley Gardens, the Great Yorkshire Showground, Victoria Avenue and Princes Square, Cambridge Street and Oxford Street, West Park Stray and Oatlands Drive Stray, the Dragon Road car park, the Majestic Hotel, the Cairn Hotel, Hornbeam Park, Harrogate Convention Centre – and concluded the current location was the best.

Mr Dunsby, who has been warned by council leader Richard Cooper not to try to galvanise support for his cause, said:

“We’ve been through every conceivable location and can’t find one that has anywhere near the capacity of Montpellier Hill and it just doesn’t work as well anywhere else.”

Two Christmas markets?

Mr Dunsby said he was “absolutely livid” at the prospect of losing the market he and his team have built up into such a major event. Nevertheless they planned to resubmit their event management plan to address issues raised by the council about the current site.

Mr Dunsby said he was open to the town centre hosting a second Christmas market in December in addition to the established one.

His team currently has 170 traders and 53 coaches arranged for this year’s event, which was expected to attract 85,000 people and generate £2.5 million for the local economy from November 18 to 21. Mr Dunsby said he had received “massive support” from traders, adding.

“It’s a very frustrating situation. The event has been successful for the last eight years. Harrogate needs a Christmas market and this is the right place to have it.”