Two excavators have been stolen from a building site just off the A59 at Knaresborough.

The machines were taken last night from Swallowtail Way, which is near the Trinity Fields development and Aldi supermarket.

North Yorkshire Police today appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

The machines are both yellow — one is five tonnes and the other is nine tonnes.

A police statement said:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“In particular, we are appealing for sightings of any suspicion people or vehicles in the vicinity of this location, or any sightings of the stolen excavators following the offence.”

Anyone with information can email Hazel.Simms-Williamson@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Hazel Simms.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12220185371.

Read more:

• Police say Harrogate town centre ‘is safe’ despite highest anti-social behaviour rate in county
• Tandem stolen from Knaresborough garage

The three Conservative MPs whose constituencies include the Harrogate district have declined to comment on today’s emergency statement.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt reversed almost all of Prime Minister Liz Truss’s tax cuts, which were announced in the government’s mini-budget three weeks ago.

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, welcomed last month’s growth plan, saying on his Community News website:

“There are a huge number of measures, many focused on our productivity and investment which are the platforms for future growth. So, plenty to be positive about here in Harrogate and Knaresborough.”

Today we asked Mr Jones, along with Julian Smith, who represents Skipton and Ripon, and Nigel Adams, who represents Selby and Ainsty, to comment on today’s announcement by Mr Hunt.

We also asked them whether the Prime Minister should resign, after three Conservative MPs called for her to do so.

Neither Mr Jones nor Mr Smith had replied by the time of publication.

Read more:

• Andrew Jones MP launches ‘non-political’ fact-checking service
• Harrogate business chief: government’s economic credentials ‘in tatters’

Mr Smith was critical of the tax cutting agenda in last month’s mini-budget. He said at the time:

“In a statement with many positive enterprise measures this huge tax cut for the very rich at a time of national crisis and real fear and anxiety amongst low income workers and citizens is wrong.”

Maire Crosse, Mr Adams’ senior parliamentary assistant, did reply but only to say:

“Nigel is away today and not contactable. Therefore, he will not be providing a comment.”

Tandem stolen from Knaresborough garage

A tandem bicycle has been stolen in a burglary at Forge Garage on Park Row in Knaresborough.

Suspects stole the bike from one of multiple small units belonging to the garage they broke into.

North Yorkshire Police today appealed for information about the theft, which occurred at about 1.40am on October 7.

The force said in a statement:

“Notably, we’re looking for a Transit-style van that was believed to have been involved in the incident.

“We’re asking nearby residents and businesses to review CCTV or ring doorbells for potential footage, as well as any information that could help recover the tandem bicycle.”

Anyone with information can email jacob.wright@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Jacob Wright.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The North Yorkshire Police reference number is 12220178605.

Read more:

• Ofsted finds ‘good’ village school near Knaresborough is ‘like a second home’
• Pedestrian seriously injured in collision at Knaresborough retail park

The 17th century Bay Horse Inn at Goldsborough has appointed a new manager and head chef and revamped its food offering.

Clare Oglesby and her husband Mark, who own nearby Goldsborough Hall, took on the village pub in November 2019.

The pub, near Knaresborough, was fully refurbished but then had to close due to covid.

Ms Oglesby said:

“After being open/shut/open for the last couple of years with the covid times, we finally have the right team in place to drive the pub forward.”

The inn will continue to provide traditional home-cooked food but Ms Oglesby said visitors would notice a difference in terms of quality and presentation with the new team in charge.

Marius Salaru, who was previously deputy general manager at Goldsborough Hall for three years, has taken over as manager.

Eric Mucha, whose previous experience includes running the kitchens at Goldsborough Hall, has been appointed head chef. Originally from Krakow, Mr Mucha has been a chef in the UK for over 10 years and has cooked to a 3AA rosette level.

Mr Salaru said:

“We are thrilled to have Eric as our executive chef. He brings a wealth of experience from his fine dining background, which is reflected in the new seasonal menu and daily specials.

“The pub is cosy with a real fire, traditional oak beams, and is great for families and locals. It’s got dog-friendly areas as well. Having an amazing chef will elevate our offering, taking it to the next level while still being affordable.”

The menu will change seasonally, using ingredients and produce from Goldsborough Hall’s kitchen garden.

Read more:

• Goldsborough Hall secures place in Michelin Guide
• Councillors call for 20 mph limit to be trialled in Harrogate and Knaresborough

Mr Mucha said:

“I am so excited to be working at The Bay Horse Inn and plan to incorporate as much local produce as I can to my dishes.”

Recent specials include pan-fried scallops, venison steak and chocolate delice as well as a new vegan menu.

The venison steak dish

The Bay Horse Inn, which opens daily, dates back to the early 17th century.

It is named after the original Bay Horse, the Byerley Turk, the eldest of three stallions that make up all thoroughbreds today, which was buried in the grounds of next door Goldsborough Hall, in 1706.

Organisations have agreed to work together to achieve designated bathing water status on the River Nidd at Knaresborough.

Longstanding concerns about water quality were heightened in summer when people and dogs fell ill after entering the Nidd.

If the bathing water bid is successful, the Environment Agency would be obliged to put plans in place to monitor and protect the water.

Not a single waterway in North Yorkshire currently has bathing water status but the River Wharfe in Ilkley has achieved it.

Knaresborough has been chosen because of the amount of  recreational river users it attracts, but if the campaign succeeds the rest of the Nidd would also benefit from the measures introduced.

Anglers, the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water, Nidderdale AONB, Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, Leeds University, councillors and Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, are among those involved after a meeting this month.

They must demonstrate the river attracts a large number of bathers and has support for such a move. Landowners must also support applications for privately owned sites.

Shan Oakes

Shan Oakes, a Green Party councillor in Knaresborough chairing the group, said the government was not setting high enough water quality standards and action was necessary. Ms Oakes, who is also on Knaresborough Town Council, added:

“It’s not going to be a quick fix. We need to consult with a lot of groups.”

Read more:

• Meeting called to hear concerns about state of River Nidd
• UK’s largest weir removal project begins on River Nidd at Scotton

Last week Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East on North Yorkshire County Council, agreed to chair a cross-party sub-group of the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee that will examine the issue. She said:

“We are well placed to achieve this but we need the support of the community and the town council.”

Knaresborough lido, which is particularly popular with recreational river users, will probably be the focus of the campaign. Cllr Gostlow said:

“The river plays a big part in the local economy but people are getting ill so we need to do something.”

She added she hoped the campaign might succeed by summer 2024.

Action by anglers

The £1.2 billion Allerton Park waste recovery plant continues to be dogged by mixed performance more than four years after being launched.

The waste recovery plant and incinerator between Knaresborough and Boroughbridge takes 220,000 tonnes of waste collected by councils in York and North Yorkshire and 50,000 tonnes of business waste annually,

A performance report has revealed it is significantly exceeding its target for diverting waste from landfill, achieving almost 90%.

However, it is recycling and composting just over one per cent of the waste, against a target of 5%.

North Yorkshire and City of York councils awarded a contract to private company AmeyCespa to create the facility in 2014 following a high-profile battle with residents of villages surrounding the plant, such as Marton-cum-Grafton.

Last year councillors raised concerns over the plant’s recycling performance after it emerged it had never met its recycling targets, leading the councils to levy £653,000 in performance deductions for the first three years of its operations.

An officer’s report to a meeting of the county council’s transport, economy and environment scrutiny committee next Thursday shows the plant’s recycling performance has marginally worsened during the last year.

The report states issues with the mechanical treatment equipment meant sometimes the plant had to be run in by-pass mode, which meant recyclates were not extracted.

Read more:

• £1.2bn Knaresborough incinerator has never met recycling targets

• £740,000 awarded as part of Knaresborough incinerator fund

The report states following maintenance works this year the mechanical treatment performance has significantly improved, with Amey forecasting recycling performance to rise to almost half the targeted proportion.

However, the amount of unplanned downtime at the energy from waste plant significantly improved this year, falling from 61 days to 29, which allowed more waste to be processed.

The report states the latest figures show the best year to date for landfill diversion and energy from waste.

The report concludes further opportunities are being explored with the councils, Amey and Yorwaste seek “to optimise the types of waste delivered to the plant” to secure continued performance improvements.

The county council’s executive member for open to business, Conservative councillor Derek Bastiman, said while the recycling target remained well below what was wanted, the lack of improvement this year had been largely due to unforeseen mechanical issues.

He said the energy from waste scheme had proven to be a good investment by the councils.

Ouseburn division Green Party councillor Arnold Wareneken said any profits from the scheme should be used to increase recycling rates.

He said:

“We need to recycle the money as well – it just needs a bit more investment. The problem I see is we are not collecting food waste separately or enough food waste from industry. 

“All local authorities are meant to be collecting food waste. 

“We have got to make it more easier for people to put compostable waste in wheelie bins.”

No new issues today on the main routes into Harrogate, such as Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road, but traffic on Wetherby Road has been particularly bad in recent days.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Temporary traffic lights are still in place on the A661 Harrogate Road near Spofforth. The lights are in place while Northern Gas Networks carries out maintenance work and are due to last until October 18.

In Harrogate town centre, long-term work on Crescent Road means motorists are unable to turn left at the Parliament Street junction. Traffic coming the opposite way on Ripon Road is unable to turn right.

Stop go boards are due to be in place on John Street today and on Harcourt Drive.

Roadworks on the Boroughbridge Road at Scriven are likely to cause delays for motorists travelling between Knaresborough and Boroughbridge.

Looking ahead, roadworks are due to begin o Cold Bath Road on Monday. Work is also scheduled to begin on Monday to reconstruct the B6265 at Red Brae Bank, Bewerley, near Pateley Bridge, which suffered a landslip during storms in  February 2020.

The scheme requires the road to be closed from October 17 to December 9. A diversion will be in place via Pateley Bridge; the B6451 Dacre; Menwith Hill Road; Duck Street and Greenhow Hill village. Temporary traffic lights will be in place during the remainder of the work.

Also, lights will be installed on the B6265 at Red Brae Bank, Bewerley on Monday. The road suffered a landslip during storms in February 2020 an a weight limit has been in pace since.

Details of the scheme are here.

Trains and buses

Train operator Northern has issued this today:

“Due to significant IT issues this morning, Northern currently do not have access to update any customer information systems. This means that live departure board screens at Northern managed stations may not show the most recent updates and PA systems can not be used.”

The Harrogate Bus Company is not currently reporting any cancellations but you can get updates here.

Read more:

• Gasworks on Cold Bath Road rescheduled until Monday
• Harrogate district businesses ask police for help tackling anti-social behaviour

The Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee met this morning meeting. Congestion on Wetherby Road and Skipton Road, and the otley Road cycle route, were among the topics discussed.

• The 15-person committee, which is controlled by the Liberal Democrats, advises North Yorkshire County Council, which is controlled by the Conservatives.
• Today’s agenda included 20mph speed limits, Harrogate transport improvements, climate change and culture.
• You can watch the meeting here.

Here’s what happened.

12.31pm: ‘Nightmare’ and ‘flawed’: Harrogate’s Otley Road cycle path under further fire

A lively debate about the Otley Road cycle path took place at today’s meeting. You can read a full report of the discussion here.

12.22pm: Culture report criticised

A lengthy report on a cultural framework for North Yorkshire is widely criticised by all parties for having ‘gaps’ and not consulting enough with groups in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The report cost £20,000 of which £10,000 came from the county council and £10,000 from Arts Council England.

11.50pm: Call for congestion action on Wetherby Road and Skipton Road

Liberal Democrat leader Pat Marsh (pictured left) questions the focus on Leeds Road. She says the busiest roads are Wetherby Road and Skipton Road. She adds: “It’s chronic. How are you going to introduce safe cycling?”

Talking about Wetherby Road, she adds: “The traffic tails back so far it’s unbelievable. It’s there day and night. Why that road is not being looked at, I do not know.”

Cllr Marsh adds there is also potential for a park and ride at the Great Yorkshire Showground just off Wetherby Road.

She then suggests building a new secondary school in the New Park area. “Harrogate’s secondary schools are all on the same side of town.”

Green councillor Arnold Warneken says it took him 40 minutes to drive from the Kestrel roundabout to today’s meeting at the council office at Knapping Mount.

Liberal Democrat Philip Broadbank expresses exasperation at the slow speed at which active travel schemes progress. “There is so much consultation.”

The officer’s report is merely ‘noted’, after numerous protests of frustration at the rate of change.

11.40pm: Call for action on Harrogate transport schemes

Conservative councillor Paul Haslam says “I’d like to see more action rather than more process” after an officer gives an update on phase two of the Harrogate Transport Improvement Programme.

The officer says the programme is an evolution of the Harrogate Congestion Study, which received more than 15,000 responses in 2020 and showed support for a park and ride bus service plus more active travel. The A61 Leeds Road was identified as the area for potential of the greatest improvements.

The officer says work on the second phase began in July, and she expects to have further details by end of 2022, promoting Cllr Haslam to say the issue is getting bogged down by process.

He also says a train station at Claro Road would ease traffic congestion.

11.15 Call for pilot 20mph zone approved

Nine vote in favour, two against and one abstain from Cllr Warneken’s motion to introduce a 20mph pilot.

But that doesn’t mean it will happen – it will now go to the county council executive, which will decide whether to act on the outcome.

11.01 Should there be a pilot 20mph scheme?

Green councillor Arnold Warneken calls for a pilot 20mph scheme. Several councillors speak in favour of reducing speed limits but Cllr Michael Harrison, a Conservative, says he is against it.

He says he admires the 20’s Plenty campaign for trying but says enforcement and capital spend are problems. He says there are highways issues in his division that have been hanging around for a while, which he would prefer to see dealing with.

10.53am £1m cost of implementing 20mph limits

Asked how much introducing 20mph limits would cost, council officer says the figure would be “looking at something north of a million pounds”, and would take at least 12 to 18 months to implement.

10.43am: Call for default 20mph speed limit

Cycling campaigner Malcolm Margolis (pictured) is reading a statement on behalf of 20’s Plenty calling for a default 20mph speed limit in towns and villages in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

A council officer says the county council recognises the benefits 20mph limits can bring and wants to make the roads as safe as possible and will continue to consider all options.

10.30am: Parish councillor calls for ‘kick up the backside’  

Howard West (right)

Councillor Howard West of Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council says nothing in the Harrogate Transport Improvements Programme, a report which is due to be discussed today, satisfies residents that plans are in place to prevent ‘gridlock’ in Harrogate’s western arc when thousands of new homes are built.

He says the council should “shelve the Maltkiln survey” until it has solved what’s happening now in the west of Harrogate. Cllr West said today’s recommendation is to ‘note the report’, adding:

“Our recommendation is for members to effect the equivalent of a kick up the backside and for meaningful action to get immediate results now rather than for procrastination and excuses.”

10.21am: Cycling group’s frustration over cycling schemes

Kevin Douglas, chair of Harrogate District Cycling Action, expresses concerns about the slow pace of the various cycling schemes.

The council officer says: “We accept there has been a delay” on the Otley Road scheme and cites “numerous design issues”. She adds consultation on phase two of the scheme is “due imminently”.

She also says plans public engagement on new plans for Oatlands Drive are “due to start this month”.

10.07am: Residents’ group criticises ‘nightmare’ Otley Road cycle path.

A statement is read by a members of Harrogate and Pannal Ash Residents’ Association saying consultation with residents about the Otley Road cycle path had uncovered comments such as it being “fundamentally flawed”, “a nightmare”, “an accident waiting to happen”.

He asks for a full, meaningful and proper consultation for the remainder of the Otley Road scheme “before designs are firmed up”. he adds:

“The general feeling is the scheme will do v little, if anything to offset the huge housing growth for thew west of Harrogate.”

A council officer says it plans to stage a “meet the designer event to make it possible to have those meaningful conversations going forward”.

A Harrogate police officer has said there is “no perfect solution” to town centre anti-social behaviour after businesses asked for help.

A Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce meeting on Monday heard concerns about behaviour on Bower Street and outside McDonald’s restaurant in Harrogate, as well as at Knaresborough castle.

Chief Inspector Alex Langley and Superintendent Theresa Lam started by giving an overview of police issues in Harrogate in which they said Parliament Street was “the busiest ward” in the county for incidents.

A delegate said one business had already been forced to close on Bower Street because of persistent anti-social behaviour and asked whether the police could do anything to prevent people “milling around”.

Chief Inspector Alex Langley

Ch Insp Langley said police had an input on street design but admitted there was little they could do in trouble spots such as Bower Street and outside McDonald’s. Talking about the area outside the restaurant, he said:

“It’s been a problem since I started 19 years ago and will continue to be because it’s the perfect place to sit.

“There’s no perfect solution for moving on people that aren’t committing crimes.”

He said if the problem was tackled in one area it would only move to another.

A Knaresborough businesswoman said late night drinkers congregated in the castle grounds at Knaresborough because the lack of streetlighting made it an “ideal place to go”. But she said they often left broken glass, which was then a problem for dog walkers and tourists the next day.

Chf Insp Langley said he would report the issue to the police neighbourhood awareness team.

He urged businesses and people to report crimes, saying the police could only act if they were aware of problems.

Read more:

• Police start two-week speeding crackdown in Harrogate district
• Business Breakfast: Crime Commissioner and senior police officers to face Harrogate business leaders

The main routes into Harrogate, such as Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road, appear to be flowing normally in the approach to rush hour.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

Drivers heading towards Wetherby should be aware of temporary traffic lights still in place on the A661 Harrogate Road near Spofforth.

The lights are in place while Northern Gas Networks carries out maintenance work and are now due to last until October 18.

Elsewhere in Harrogate, long-term work on Crescent Road means motorists are unable to turn left at the Parliament Street junction. Traffic coming the opposite way on Ripon Road is unable to turn right.

Montpellier Road remains closed until tomorrow as Northern Gas Networks carries out maintenance work.

Stop go boards are due to be in place on John Street today and tomorrow.

Roadworks on the Boroughbridge Road at Scriven are likely to cause delays for motorists travelling between Knaresborough and Boroughbridge.

Looking ahead, work is scheduled to begin on Monday to reconstruct the B6265 at Red Brae Bank, Bewerley, near Pateley Bridge, which suffered a landslip during storms in  February 2020.

The scheme requires the road to be closed from October 17 to December 9. A diversion will be in place via Pateley Bridge; the B6451 Dacre; Menwith Hill Road; Duck Street and Greenhow Hill village. Temporary traffic lights will be in place during the remainder of the work.

Trains and buses

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

The Harrogate Bus Company is not currently reporting any cancellations but you can get updates here.

Read more:

• Gasworks on Cold Bath Road rescheduled until Monday
• Harrogate district businesses ask police for help tackling anti-social behaviour