A petition has been launched calling on North Yorkshire Council (NYC) to bring back local taxi zones, reversing a policy introduced earlier this year that local drivers have branded a “massive mistake”. 

Under the old system, each local authority in the county had its own taxi licensing zone, and drivers could only work within that area. 

But county councillors decided on February 21 that North Yorkshire would introduce a single zone for the whole of the county, meaning that drivers can now work across the region. The move was in line with “best practice” advice from the government, which advocates the policy to “allow economic forces to determine supply levels and generate cost savings for the council”.

The policy came into effect on April 1.

But Liberal Democrat Councillor Barbara Brodigan, who represents the Ripon Ure Bank & Spa division, says the single county-wide zone is failing customers and damaging the livelihoods of local drivers. She said: 

“North Yorkshire is the biggest county in the country, and it has ‘hotspots’ as well as huge rural areas. Drivers from elsewhere are now over-supplying the bigger towns, but leaving rural areas with limited or no access to taxis.”

She said local drivers had traditionally serviced the whole area – towns and villages – but are now having a lot of the lucrative town business taken away from them by competitors who have no interest in servicing the rural areas.

She added: 

“Some of these local drivers have invested up to £30,000 in their business – for the car, licence and goodwill – and are now having to compete with people from outside the area who don’t even know the area.” 

One of the people affected is Richard Fieldman, who owns A1 Cars in Ripon. He said: 

“I’d say every driver here has lost at least 25% of their income because of this policy. For example, on race day [at Ripon Racecourse], we get drivers from Skipton, Ryedale – all over – coming to Ripon and picking up fares. It’s destroying people’s livelihoods.” 

Read more:

• Local cabbies predict ‘disaster’ as new single taxi zone created
• Bid to introduce single taxi zone for North Yorkshire put on hold
• Call to retain taxi zones in North Yorkshire amid proposed changes

He said the policy change had not just affected drivers, but had also had a detrimental effect on customers too. People and businesses in rural areas are finding it hard to get taxis, and disabled people are being left with fewer options. He said: 

“The increased costs and reduced incomes are forcing some drivers to sell their more expensive wheelchair-accessible vehicles and buy a cheaper saloon car instead. One guy had two of them and sold them both. It’s making finding a taxi even harder for disabled people.” 

He added that he believes that NYC has not even followed correct procedures to create the single taxi zone, so any taxis operating outside their ‘home’ zones are technically breaking the law.

According to Cllr Brodigan, the decision was flawed from the outset, as councillors didn’t take into account the response to a question asked in a NYC survey prior to the council vote, which asked: “Do you agree or disagree with the proposal for a single zone for North Yorkshire?”. Fifty-two per cent of respondents – a clear majority – disagreed. 

Mr Fieldman said: 

“The whole thing is just a mess. Council officers don’t seem to know what’s going on, and drivers aren’t being informed of new changes. It’s destroyed the taxi trade, not just for drivers, but for the public too.

“The council is due to review this policy in April to assess how well it’s gone. When they do, I’d urge them to bring back the seven local taxi zones, and reverse this massive mistake.” 

The Stray Ferret approached NYC for comment, but has yet to receive a reply. 

New speed limits will be introduced outside a series of schools in Harrogate under plans for North Yorkshire’s largest ever 20mph zone.

North Yorkshire Council today unveiled proposals for an extensive 20mph zone covering streets across the Pannal Ash and Oatlands areas of the town.

The proposed area for the new zone includes a total of seven schools in Harrogate.

These are Harrogate Grammar School, Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School, Ashville College, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Oatlands Junior School and Oatlands Infants School.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said:

“This is the most significant 20mph zone the council has ever introduced.

“Our plan will see 20mph limits introduced outside seven more schools and on nearby residential streets, meaning thousands of children can enjoy safer journeys every day.

“This landmark proposal is testament to the collective determination of schools, families and councillors to respond to public concerns and deliver ambitious action. It sets a positive example and leads the way for communities across North Yorkshire.”

A proposed £585,000 package of sustainable transport measures for the west of Harrogate has also been announced today.

The National Productivity Investment Fund package will be used to deliver parts of the new 20mph zone, as well as upgraded signals at the Cold Bath Road/Otley Road/Arthurs Avenue junction.

A crossing will be installed outside Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road.

There will also be improvements to bus stops along Otley Road, the crossing outside Falcon Chiropractic on Cold Bath Road, and a new crossing will be installed outside Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road.

Improvements will be made to cycle route signing, the crossing between Green Lane public right of way and Ashville College, and there will be new cycle parking and public realm improvements on Cold Bath Road. Nursery Lane will be upgraded to allow cyclists to use as an off-road leisure route.

Cllr Duncan said:

“We halted unpopular plans for phase two of the Otley Road cycleway to develop an alternative package of measures.

“This decision means we are now able to invest in signal improvements, new crossings, cycling improvements and new bus stops instead.

“This alternative package will be of immense and lasting benefit to all road users – motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and bus passengers.”

Read more:

• Trial scheme banning school run cars from Harrogate street launched today
• National pet retailer to open Harrogate store this month

Oatlands Junior School starts scheme

The first School Street initiative started today at Oatlands Junior School, whereby Beechwood Grove is closed to traffic at pick-up and drop-off times to create a safer environment and encourage more children to walk, cycle or scoot to school.

The pilot has been implemented for an experimental 18-month period to allow for its impact to be monitored and assessed. A decision will then be made whether to make the scheme permanent once a review has been carried out.

Members of the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee will be asked to provide feedback on the proposed 20mph and transport package at a meeting on Thursday, September 14.

The plans will then be considered for approval by Cllr Duncan, with the aim of implementing the measures early next year.

Councillors have deferred making a decision on a plan to create living accommodation for staff above a Chinese restaurant in Ripon.

North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton & Ripon planning committee met yesterday afternoon at Ripon Town Hall to consider an application from Mr Wang who took over The Dragon Inn in 2021.

The restaurant is part of a five-storey Grade II listed building that sits on the city’s market square.

According to planning documents, the first, second and attic levels are bedrooms for staff with a communal kitchen and bathrooms.

However, planning permission was never obtained to use the building as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) so the application was part-retrospective.

But councillors raised concerns about access to the building, the fire escape and bin collection with a request for more information before it’s brought back to committee.

Access to the residential upper floors is through the restaurant which led to fears that bins could potentially be dumped in the street.

There is also no public right of way to the rear of the building, which is on council-owned land, and the applicant has not yet received permission from North Yorkshire Council to use it.

HMO’s require a higher level of fire safety than a normal privately rented property and a condition was proposed so that a fire safety risk assessment of the building would take place but this still left councillors uneasy about fire safety in the building.

Read more:

• No local schools to close because of crumbling concrete
• Sudden closure of Ripon charity shop

Conservative and Independents Group councillor for Ripon Minster & Moorside, Andrew Williams, said he had reservations about the application.

He said: 

“I think as elected members we should ensure applications are water-tight before we give approval. I can’t support the application today as it would not be appropriate when there are clearly significant issues to be addressed.”

However, Liberal Democrat councillor for Ripon Ure Bank & Spa Barbara Brodigan said she was in favour of the plan as it would help to reinvigorate the city.

Cllr Brodigan said:

“Look around Ripon market square and a lot of buildings are underused and we’re short of suitable affordable housing.

“If buildings are not in use they fall into decay. If we bring people into the city centre then it’s a vibrant place, they spend money and it’s a safer environment.”

Councillors voted by four to three to defer the application and asked for more information on access and refuse collection.

A trial scheme to close a Harrogate street outside a busy junior school during traffic at peak times was launched this morning.

Beechwood Grove is now part of the School Streets pilot project, preventing parents from using it to access Oatlands Junior School at the beginning and end of the school day.

From today – the first day of the new school year at Oatlands Junior School – the measures will see school traffic banned from the road between 8.30am and 9am, and from 3pm to 3.45pm, on weekdays during term time.

The scheme is the first School Streets pilot in North Yorkshire.

Residents, school staff, blue badge holders, official school transport and emergency services are exempt from the closure.

As an alternative, parents are encouraged to bring their children to school by foot, bicycle, or scooter. Those who need to drive are asked to use the ‘park and ride’ scheme, parking at Hornbeam Park railway station, M&S Simply Food on Leeds Road, or St Mark’s Church, and walking the rest of the way.

Hazel Peacock & Dr Vicki Evans, of Outlands Road Safety and Active Travel Campaign, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are delighted the School Street pilot at Beechwood Grove started today to create a safer, healthier space around the Oatlands Junior School for pupils, parents and carers and local residents, every school day.

“This first School Street pilot in North Yorkshire, is the result of a joint community collaboration between campaigners, residents, Oatlands Junior School, local councillors John Mann and Pat Marsh and North Yorkshire Council.”

The move comes amid incidents involving cars and school pupils in Harrogate.

This year, a pupil at the junior school was injured when a car mounted a pavement outside the school gates, while a more serious collision on Yew Tree Lane left two 15-year-old Rossett schoolboys with serious injuries.

Following the incidents, a campaign to introduce 20mph limits and other restrictions on roads around Oatlands, Pannal Ash and Rossett gathered momentum.

Headteachers of all the local primary and secondary schools met several times, along with councillors, highways officers and parents, to discuss road safety.

A petition of more than 1,000 signatures was presented to North Yorkshire Council and the proposal was debated by both the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, and the council’s executive.

Read more:

• Trial scheme will ban school run cars from Harrogate street
• Headteachers unite to support 20mph speed limit near Harrogate schools
• Two Rossett pupils seriously injured as pick-up truck hits wall outside Harrogate school

North Yorkshire Council has refused a plan to build 17 homes at Almsford Bank Stables in Harrogate saying the scheme would “erode the distinct character” of the Crimple Valley.

Developers Square Feet Ltd and Antela Developments Ltd submitted a plan for 17 homes with seven of them classed as affordable and 10 as custom self-build for people who want to build their own home.

The site has been in equestrian use and includes farmland, barns and stables.

It’s the third attempt to build housing on the site, which is on the edge of Harrogate off Leeds Road and is overlooked by the imposing Crimple Valley Viaduct which dates to 1848.

In 2021, plans for 65 homes were withdrawn. Last year, a smaller application for 35 homes was refused by Harrogate Borough Council.

The application was met with fierce resistance from the Save Crimple Valley campaign group who argued the homes would harm the appearance of one of Harrogate’s most picturesque locations.

The plans received 360 objections and no letters of support.

Documents attached to the application by the developers said they reduced the size of the scheme to minimise its impact on the countryside with homes only built on the northern part of the site.

A southern section would have provided a “significant landscaped area”.

The land is not allocated for development in the council’s Local Plan, which sets out where development can take place, however the developers said that the document supports the delivery of self-build homes on the edge of towns.

Read more:

• Controversial plan for 35 homes in Crimple Valley rejected
• Dozens of objections to ‘ludicrous’ Crimple Valley housing plan

However, the council did not agree and gave seven reasons for refusal in a lengthy decision notice.

Reasons included the site not being allocated in the Local Plan, the loss of open fields, re-routing a public footpath, and the removal of a “relatively large” number of trees.

The council’s highways department also said the scheme would interfere with the free flow of traffic on Leeds Road and potentially cause “danger to highway users”.

North Yorkshire Council case officer Jillian Rann said:

“The proposed development would result in harm to the character and appearance of its surroundings, including the Crimple Valley Special Landscape Area, through the loss of open fields and woodland and the introduction of unacceptable and incongruous (sub)urban development into an area of high landscape value, which is important to the setting of Harrogate and the setting of the grade II* listed building, Crimple Valley Viaduct and to the separation between, and individual distinctiveness of, the settlements of Harrogate and Pannal.”

Officials developing a destination management plan to replace Welcome to Yorkshire have been urged to learn the lessons from the past.

A meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s transition scrutiny committee yesterday heard councillors call for the local authority to protect the Yorkshire brand, take more heed of the views of small businesses and work to attract international events without losing oversight of the consequences of tourism on communities.

Councillors were told the local authority was weeks away from submitting a destination management plan  to Visit England to join neighbouring areas such as East Riding, Durham and Cumbria in becoming a local visitor economy partnership, to gain more national funding and support.

Officers told the meeting at County Hall in Northallerton they had consulted extensively with the sector on the framework which would lead, influence and coordinate all of “the aspects of our destination which contribute to a visitor’s experience”.

They said the plan would take account of the needs of visitors, residents, businesses, and the environment, joining all organisations with an interest in the industry responsible for 10 per cent of the county’s economy.

It is planned to bring Yorkshire LVEPs together in a destination development partnership, which would then identify collective strategic priorities.

In addition, the council is also part of a group looking at marketing North Yorkshire at a national and international level, the meeting was told.

Councillors heard while the council’s ambition is to increase the £2bn visitor spend by about 5% a year and increase the proportion overnight visitors to 20% of all visits, there were concerns the latter aim could exacerbate housing and staff accommodation issues in some areas.

An officer told members the council was confident the plan’s priorities reflected what the industry was wanting.

He added: 

“We have a really ambitious set of targets to grow it year on year and to retain more overall visitors.

“We get a lot of day visitors but there is a real shift to try and get overnight stays and the retention time being longer.

“We want that plan to be private sector-led, but also with a clear steer from where the local authority is taking the lead. We are not under-estimating our leadership role in this, but we also want the sector to own and help us deliver these ambitions.”

Read more:

• Harrogate council spends £2.2m on new tourism body in first year
• Bid begins to create new North Yorkshire tourism body

However, Helmsley division councillor George Jabbour highlighted how comments by the Federation of Small Businesses, which represents 4,000 businesses in the county and York, on the council’s plan had been “very far from glowing”.

FSB comments included: 

“Businesses are frustrated after being excited about the new start that this is where we have landed – they don’t see the purpose of the DMP or what need it answers due to the confused plan and lack of vision.”

Cllr Jabbour added: 

“North Yorkshire County Council had too close a relationship with Welcome to Yorkshire. There were a few scandals involved there. It is a concern from the start we don’t get as close and that the new council makes the same mistakes as before.

“The reality is we have got to make sure we have something quite ambitious and hopefully we will have enough time to change and improve the final plan.”

Officers said they would meet the FSB to address concerns, but some businesses appeared to have confused the management plan for a strategy.

The committee’s acting chairman, Cllr Bryn Griffiths, told officers: 

“Don’t lose the Yorkshire brand. The Yorkshire brand is so strong. Don’t degenerate it.”

A Harrogate road often used as a cut-through by vehicles is set to reopen to through traffic this autumn.

A 12-month traffic order has blocked traffic at the bridge where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane since November last year.

The route was previously used by some vehicles to avoid congestion on the main A59 Knaresborough Road, as well as by locals.

The traffic order was issued to enable developer Redrow to carry out work at its 133-home Kingsley Manor development.

The bridge that divides Bogs Lane and Kingsley Road is to re-open to vehicles.

North Yorkshire Council  wanted to make the closure permanent but has been unable to do so and the roads will reopen to through traffic when the 12-month order lapses on November 3.

A council email sent to interested parties said it needed to construct a turning area on Bogs Lane “as a prerequisite to any road closure”.

The email, which is attributed to a ‘development management team’ rather than any named individual, added:

“We have been negotiating with this third party landowner for over 18 months and despite protracted correspondence, there has been no conclusion to the enquiry.

“The local highway authority is now at the stage where we must proceed with an alternative option to create a safe pedestrian environment on Bogs Lane as the temporary road closure expires in November and the occupation of dwellings on the Redrow site will begin shortly after.”

The council now wants to install a pedestrian route between the proposed Redrow site entrance on Bogs Lane and the garage to the east of the railway bridge.

The email added:

“The proposal would create a notional 1.5 metre wide footway on the northern side of the road, which would be slightly narrower over short sections in some places due to physical site constraints.

“This option would require the road to be realigned slightly to the south and reinforced in places in order to retain its current minimal width of 4.8m.

“Discussions are already underway with Network Rail with regards to the proposed footway crossing the bridge deck, as this bridge is a Network Rail asset for which permissions would be required to undertake works.”

The email added the council is talking to Redrow about amending 2017 documents that obliged the developer to construct a footway.

‘The infamous Kingsley rat run will reappear’

Some people welcomed the road closure for making the Kingsley area quieter; others said it added time to their journeys and the detours only increased pollution.

Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley on the council, was among those who supported a permanent closure. He said:

“I do see the point, which I understand many of the consultees made, regarding keeping Bogs Lane open to emergency vehicles, which would benefit residents on both sides of the bridge.

“I’m really pleased that, at long last, Bogs Lane is going to get a decent footway, hopefully prior to November 4th, when the Redrow Road Closure expires.

“My main worry is that the infamous Kingsley rat run will reappear when the road re-opens, but I understand traffic lights and traffic calming measures on both sides of the bridge and around the new junction will not make the road any quicker for motorists than using Knaresborough Road.”

Read more:

• Kingsley developers open safe route for walkers and cyclists
• Kingsley anger reaches ‘boiling point’ as another 162 homes set for approval

Council officers have recommended councillors approve an expansion of Rudding Park Hotel and Spa to create a new golfing clubhouse, family hub, tennis courts and the reinstatement of a walled garden.

Rudding Park is a luxury tourist destination on a sprawling 300-acre estate three miles south of Harrogate.

Planning documents say that its current clubhouse was originally built as a temporary facility but has now outgrown its useful life and “considerably discredits the course”.

The new building would be spread over two storeys and also would feature swimming pools, restaurants, a gym and changing rooms.

A replacement family hub would also be built to include a creche, softplay area and swimming pool.

Masterplan of the renovations as proposed by Rudding Park.

A walled garden was converted into a caravan park in the 1970s but would be reinstated.

Four new tennis courts and a pavilion are also proposed as part of the plans.

According to planning documents, the improvements will result in an additional 75 full time jobs and will lead to an extra £14.3 million being spent in the local area every year.

Documents state:

“Over the last 50 years, Rudding Park has become the standard bearer for quality hospitality in Harrogate, and positions Harrogate as a UK wide and international tourist destination. The owners have made consistent and intentional decisions to design and build the highest quality amenities and experiences for Harrogate, the North and the UK. With no exception.

“The vision is to create the UK’s best independent luxury resort and, to do this, the resort requires a new club house, redeveloped family facilities and additional sports amenities.

“To remain the jewel in the crown for Harrogate tourism, Rudding Park must develop these high-quality fitness, sports, leisure and recreational spaces to complement the hotel, spa and house and the legacy of the last 50 years’ development.”

The application will be decided by councillors who sit on North Yorkshire Council’s strategic planning committee in Northallerton on Tuesday (September 12) rather than those on the Harrogate & Knaresborough planning committee.

Read more:

• Rudding Park unveils golf and country club renovation plan
• Rudding Park refurbishment plan ‘could generate £14m’, say owners

None of the schools facing closure in England and Wales due to crumbling roofs are in the Harrogate district.

The government said last week 104 schools in England and Wales would fully or partially close due to safety fears connected with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Raac, which is cheap building material popular between the 1960s and 1980s, has been compared to “chocolate Aero” because it contains pockets of air.

Children in North Yorkshire are due to go back to school tomorrow for the autumn term and the government has yet to name which schools are affected.

Stuart Carlton, director of children and young people’s service at North Yorkshire Council, said only one school in North Yorkshire was affected . He said:

“We are aware of one school in the county which has been constructed using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

“Scalby School in Scarborough has been asked to close the buildings affected. The school is required to make suitable arrangements to continue the education of their 1,000 pupils until safety work can be carried out.

“Scalby School is the only one in North Yorkshire on the current Department for Education list of 104 schools affected.”

Read more:

• Harrogate hospital roof contains crumbling concrete
• Government urged to ‘come clean’ on North Yorkshire RAAC schools

North Yorkshire Council officers have defended its planning service following a sharp decline in the number of development proposals being decided by councillors.

A meeting of the council’s transition scrutiny committee was told the authority was re-examining the balance between planning applications which could be made by unelected council staff and ones which went before the authority’s six area planning committees.

The authority’s planning service has been the focus of criticism by many councillors since it took over from the seven district and borough councils in April, with some areas seeing decreases of 60% in the number of decisions by councillors.

A recent meeting of all the planning committee chairs heard claims the council was only giving councillors the chance to decide upon developments it was legally bound to and had made its scheme of delegating decisions to planning officers “so tight that nothing’s really coming through”.

Harrogate councillor Philip Broadbank, a Liberal Democrat who represents Fairfax and Starbeck, told the meeting since April Harrogate borough had seen two planning meetings cancelled due to the lack of proposals being put before councillors and just one proposal being considered at other meetings.

He added that the move had led councillors to conclude that they were no longer closely involved with the planning process.

Cllr Broadbank said while 92% of planning applications had previously been decided by officers, it appeared the number being decided by elected members was getting fewer.

The meeting heard while much time was spent developing conditions which developers would have to adhere to to make a development acceptable, “sometimes it’s quite obvious nothing is done about enforcement to follow up if anything goes wrong”.

Cllr Broadbank said: 

“Elected members are there for a purpose. They are the ones who go round knocking on doors, they are the ones who need to be involved some of the decision-making that’s going on.”

Read more:

• Knaresborough housing site should be reviewed under local plan, says councillor
• Plans to create new traffic-free greenway submitted
• Concerns over lack of planning applications going before Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors

The meeting was told town and parish councils were “tearing their hair out” over the lack of or delays in enforcement action, often due to a lack of available legal support.

Committee members heard the Scarborough borough area had had no dedicated enforcement resource “for quite some time”, while Richmondshire was in a similar situation.

Grappling with change

Planning officers said councillors were able to call in contentious applications for committees to consider if there were sound planning reasons.

They said the council was examining where to focus its enforcement resources and legal support needed for an effective enforcement service.

Officers said they were “grappling with” whether the authority’s delegation system needed changing and that they were working to understand which proposals were decided by committees previously.

An officer underlined there had been no attempt to try to block some proposals going before councillors and officers were “trying to understand where those lines should be drawn”.

He added the authority would examine changing the balance over which planning applications should go before councillors.

The officer said: 

“The intention here isn’t to disenfranchise members. Members are a key part of this process.”