Harrogate to York trains set to be doubled to two an hour

Northern is proposing to double the number of trains from Harrogate to York to two an hour.

The publically-owned rail operator has opened a consultation for a new timetable for May 2022 that it hopes to implement.

Currently, trains to York leave Harrogate Station at five minutes past the hour during the week. They stop at Starbeck, Knaresborough, Cattal, Hammerton and Poppleton.

A spokesperson for Northern said:

“We have plans to operate more frequent services in the future between York and Harrogate following recent infrastructure upgrades. We are consulting with stakeholders about these plans and more details will be released in the near future.”

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Meanwhile, LNER is planning significant changes to its Harrogate to London route.

It has also launched a consultation on a new timetable that would see trains leave Harrogate earlier in the morning but also leave London earlier.

The operator estimates that travel times between Harrogate and London would be about 10 minutes faster.

Stray Views: Do something about these awful bins!

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. See below for details on how to contribute.

Do something about these awful bins!

I totally agree that the large commercial waste bins that seem to be permanently kept in Princes Street are an eyesore.

These bins obstruct the highway (carriageway and footway). A loading bay marked on the carriageway is surely for use by vehicles loading and un-loading, not for waste bin storage.

The county council highways department is surely responsible for ensuring that the highway is not obstructed. The business owners are also responsible for removing their bins to their premises immediately they have been emptied. If these owners do not remove their bins they become liable to prosecution for obstruction.

The county council commercial waste management must manage its waste collection service much better to avoid this public health situation.

Angus Turner, Harrogate

Cycling to work? No, thanks

The whole point of cycle lanes is being missed.

Cyclists will, of course, like them. The issue is that the lanes need to encourage non-cyclists to start riding bikes.

I rode my bike to work from near Harrogate Grammar School to ICI when I was on Hornbeam Park for about three years, every working day, in all weathers.

The difference between cycling and riding a bike to work is immense. If you cannot have a shower on arrival at work you WILL stink all day. If it’s raining you will have, at a minimum, wet legs for half a day.

Once I had a car I only rode my bike for fun, and it can be fun. But as a means of daily travel for work, shopping and the rest? Not for me thanks.

Chris Knight, Bilton

Roads used as race tracks 

I live in a house on East Parade in Harrogate and the road from Bower Road to Skipton Road is used as a race track in the evening for noisy cars.

I can’t understand why all the other roads around East Parade, eg Chudleigh Road, have a 20 mph limit while East Parade, where two cars can’t even pass, has a 30mph limit.

The antisocial driving is well in excess of that 30 mph limit.

Vicky Taylor, Harrogate

Cut the verges

I have noticed on my travels around Ripon, Harrogate and various other North Yorkshire areas the lack of cutting of the grass verges on all types of roads.

There is now a situation on some roads where the height of the grass is impeding the view of oncoming cars, cyclists and motorcyclists

Peter, Ripon

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Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

 

Did you know a Hollywood film star died in Harrogate 50 years ago this month?

Hollywood star Michael Rennie, most famous for playing an alien in the 1951 sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still, died in Harrogate 50 years ago this month.

He suffered an aortic aneurysm on June 11 1971, aged 61, when he was visiting his mother’s home in the town. His ashes are interred at Harlow Hill cemetery.

The Bradford-born actor had a lively and diverse career, starting out with an uncredited role in Alfred Hitchcock’s Secret Agent.

He appeared in 20th Century Fox blockbusters alongside Orson Welles, Richard Burton and Clark Gable.

His most recognisable role was as the friendly alien Klaatu, which landed on a spaceship in Washington DC. It made famous the phrase “Klaatu barada nikto!”, which has left fans guessing its true meaning ever since.

He also made appearances in several hit TV shows during the 1960s, including opposite Adam West’s Batman as the dastardly villain the Sandman.

Film fans in Harrogate during Rennie’s era were spoiled for choice, with several cinemas showing the hits of the day, as Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam wrote in a recent Stray Ferret article.

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Mr Neesam told the Stray Ferret that whilst there are not many celebrities interred in Harrogate’s cemeteries, there are some notable names.

Also at Harlow Hill is the Royal Academy artist, Bernard Evans, RA, whose studio was on Park Parade.

Grove Road cemetery has Fridel Dalling-Hay, who was an immigrant from Nazi Germany and became the first person in the world to circumnavigate the island of Britain in a canoe.

Sergeant Major Robert Johnston, one of the gallant 600, who was in the charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War, is also buried at Grove Road.

Did you know that the Stray Ferret has teamed up with Malcolm to produce audio walking tours of Harrogate? The walks are sponsored by the Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) and take you back to the Golden Age of the Harrogate Spa and a walk through the Commercial Heart of Harrogate.  

Why not take a walk back in time and learn about Harrogate’s glorious past.. They’re easy to do and a great day out. For more information click here. 

Harrogate district reports 21 covid cases today

Another 21 cases of covid-19 have been reported in the Harrogate district.

According to Public Health England figures, it takes the total cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic to 8,012.

No further covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital. The last death was recorded on April 11.

There are currently no covid patients being treated at the hospital, according to latest Public Health England statistics.

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The Harrogate district’s seven-day covid rate currently stands at 62.2 per 100,000 people. The North Yorkshire average is 56 and the England rate is 85.1.

Meanwhile, after six months in operation, Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground vaccination centre will give its final jab today.

Property Gold: What are you really paying an agent for?

Property Gold is a monthly column written by independent bespoke property consultant, Alex Goldstein. With more than 17 years’ experience, Alex helps his clients to buy and sell residential property in some of the most desirable locations in Yorkshire and beyond. This month, Alex explains what an estate agent is really paid for.

 

 

The sceptics out there will say this sounds like an oxymoron; however it has never been more important to have a rock solid agent that is correctly remunerated to keep their motivation.

Let’s be clear about something – getting your property on to the market with high quality photographs, floorplans, brochure and web entries is easy. You do not need to be the best agent to do this.

Matters then step up a gear when it comes to viewings and the general administration of your sale. Again, you do not need to be a great agent for this.

So where then does your estate agent commission go and what are you actually paying for? The answer lies with once you have found a buyer, or you think you have found a buyer.

Current property law means that a buyer or seller can withdraw from a transaction at any point up until the point of exchange, without any financial penalties or otherwise. It is therefore vital to keep the time between Under Offer and Exchange as tight as possible, whilst ensuring you are agreeing terms with a reliable party.

Importantly, do remember that getting the best offer from a buyer doesn’t necessarily mean running with the person who puts forward the most amount of money. One has to weigh this up with the reliability and security of the buyer – in other words, will we transact with this buyer or not?

An experienced agent will instinctively know the tell-tale signs if a buyer is serious, get the most money from them without pushing too far and losing them, ensure the foundations of their offer are robust, plus know where the monies are coming from and the situation behind the façade.

Whilst the Yorkshire market continues to charge along for the time being, getting from Under Offer to Exchange of Contracts remains incredibly demanding – arguably the most difficult I have known it in 19 years.

One of the main reasons for this is the length of time everything takes. Keeping the attention of buyers and sellers during this time, whilst pushing conveyancing solicitors and the several other associated professionals in the right direction, plus keeping timeframes to an absolute minimum in order to reach Exchange is a tall order.

If the sale falls through, then it is the buyer and seller who pick up the pieces. The extra often notional amount of money on agents’ fees, will mean that your transaction gets over the line first time and on time.

Your agent needs to have the time, experience, detective skills, relentless persistence and clout in order to see transactions through. After all, going Under Offer is only step one.

If you have any comments or questions for Alex, please feel free to contact him on alex@alexgoldstein.co.uk.

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‘Nerve wracking’ decisions for Harrogate International Festivals

Harrogate International Festivals has said the lack of certainty around the roadmap has dampened its confidence and raised questions about future events.

The four-week delay to the roadmap means Harrogate International Festivals (HIF) is having to decide whether to gamble or play it safe.

The charity’s headline event, Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, is set to go ahead from July 22 which is three days after the new date for the end of restrictions.

So the HIF faces a dilemma – does it stay with a smaller event in line with current restrictions or does it gamble on all restrictions being over by then and sell more tickets.

But without insurance to cover any losses another change to the roadmap could mean HIF loses its investment.

With a “significantly lower” number of tickets sold and the extra costs to make it covid-safe, the event is already expensive for the charity.

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Sharon Canavar, chief executive said:

“I’ve been nervous since we went back into lockdown in December. We didn’t really trust the June 21st date so we’ve set up the festival in line with restrictions from May 17th. But now we have to decide whether to stick with what we have or expand capacity. It’s nerve wracking making these decisions.”

HIF isn’t alone with many event companies, across the country, having to make difficult decisions.

Ms Canavar said it will wait for government assurances before adjusting its tiered ticket structure to increase capacity.

Could Harrogate get its first bus lane?

Harrogate’s first bus lane could be built on Leeds Road from Pannal towards the town centre, according to North Yorkshire County Council.

The council has had long held ambitions to build a park and ride scheme in Pannal to reduce traffic and ease congestion.

Land near Pannal Golf Club and near Buttersyke Bar roundabout south of Pannal have been identified as potential sites for the park and ride.

A key factor in the location is that it is on the 36 bus route that runs regularly between Leeds and Harrogate. Leeds Road is one of the main routes into Harrogate.

Cllr Don Mackenzie told the Stray Ferret that creating bus lanes in Harrogate town centre itself would be a “struggle” due to the road layout.

He added one could be built on parts of Leeds Road if the park and ride proposal comes to fruition but stressed the plans were still at an early stage.

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Meanwhile, the council is putting together a bid for a share of the government’s £3bn investment in bus services that is part of its National Bus Strategy.

The government has told all councils to publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan before November.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Service earlier this week, Cllr Mackenzie, said:

“In Harrogate we’re looking at park and ride, which will involve a bus contract, and we’re looking at bus priority systems such as bus lanes. So the National Bus Strategy just gives us an extra incentive to press on.

“We would be totally supportive of avoidance of the motor car and reliance upon public transport, whether that is road or rail or sustainable transport with a bit more walking and cycling.”

Live: Harrogate traffic and travel

Good morning and happy Friday, I’m back this morning with updates every 15 minutes on the road and rail links you rely on in the morning.

It’s Leah with you today.

Temporary traffic lights, train delays and traffic hotspots are all included in our blogs, brought to you by The HACS Group.

If you are experiencing delays, and it is safe to do so, please let us know or social media or call 01423 276197.

9am – Full Update

That’s it from me this morning, I will be back with you from 6.30 on Monday, with updates every 25 minutes.

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Traffic Hotspots:

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, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

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8.15am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

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8am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

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Trains

Buses

7.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are starting to get busier this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7.15am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

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Buses

 

7am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

6.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

6.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

Harrogate Convention Centre events still on despite lockdown delay

The first events back at the Harrogate Convention Centre are still set to go ahead despite the lockdown delay.

Home and Gift Buyers Festival and the Manchester Furniture Festival will both be in the convention centre from July 18 to July 21.

It will mean the event will run for one day before the coronavirus restrictions are potentially eased on July 19.

Clarion Events, which is organising the events, has said it is working closely with local authorities to ensure it is safe.

Visitors will be asked to provide a negative lateral flow coronavirus test on the door or proof of double vaccination and wear a face mask.

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There will be wider aisles, increased ventilation and daily cleaning regimines to try and prevent the spread of coronavirus as well.

Entry to both the Home and Gift Buyers Festival and the Manchester Furniture Festival is free. Visitors will need to register attendance here.

Show director Russell Rule said:

“With the backing of our key customers, venue, and local authorities, we can see that the appetite and enthusiasm is there for an in-person buying and selling event.

“There is great excitement from both exhibitors and visitors to reconnect in Harrogate.”

Birstwith Show cancelled due to covid uncertainty

The organisers of Birstwith Show have cancelled this year’s event due to uncertainty over the lifting of lockdown restrictions.

The event, which has taken place most years since 1867, had been scheduled to return on July 31.

Traditionally held on the last Saturday in July, the village event attracts up to 2,000 people and is one of many country and agricultural shows in the Harrogate district.

However, organisers have now decided to cancel the show for the second year running due to concerns over health, logistics and the extension of social distancing restrictions.

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A post on the Birstwith Horticultural Society Events Facebook page, said the organisers would not be able to know if it would be legal to put on the show until a week beforehand.

It added:

“Our decision was based on several points, first and most importantly the health of the community and those who would be visiting the village. 

“There was also the logistics of what would be needed to be put in place to keep everyone safe. 

“And lastly we would have only one week notice from a government announcement whether we could go ahead or not. 

“This would not be fair to those supporting us, the acts, marquee, food and drink suppliers etc. It also normally takes a year to plan the event in normal times, with the ever changing rules and regulations one week would just not be possible.”

The show is the latest to be cancelled due to covid.

Both Tockwith Show and Ripley Show organisers cancelled the events earlier this year.

Masham Steam Engine and Fair Organ Rally has also postponed its event this year amid the uncertainty.

However, the Great Yorkshire Show announced yesterday it will go ahead next month.

The event had been in doubt following the government extending social distancing restrictions until July 19.

Weeton Show is also set to go-ahead as planned next month.

Paula Harper, chair of the show, said: 

“Weeton Show 2021 was planned from the outset under the restrictions in force at the time –  pre-purchase of tickets, masks when inside, social distancing, hand sanitisation and so on – and we continue to plan for a covid safe show.

“We are working closely with local authorities and for this year only the show will be scaled down, so that more of it will be held outdoors and certain competition sections will have fewer classes than usual.”