In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we’re looking at road safety.
The issue of road safety came under the Stray Ferret’s spotlight a lot this year.
With several fatal and serious crashes, campaigns for 20mph speed limit zones and “landmark” road safety packages, it has been a year of ups and downs on our highways.
20mph speed limits
Pannal Ash and Oatlands
A collision that left two school students with serious injuries prompted a group of Harrogate parents to bolster plans to implement 20mph speed zones around parts of the town.
The incident, which happened in February, left two 15-year-old Rossett School pupils requiring several operations and hospital treatment for months after.
Following the collision, the group, who were already campaigning for such change, amped up their efforts.
They set up a petition, which called for a ‘safe streets zone’, consisting of a blanket 20mph speed limit across the Rossett, Pannal Ash, Oatlands, Woodlands and Hookstone areas.
It attracted more than 900 signatures and caught the attention of 13 education leader and local councillors, who joined forces with the group and urged North Yorkshire Council to take action.
The petition was delivered to the council in May.
Hazel Peacock, who spearheaded the campaign and delivered the petition on behalf of the group, told the Stray Ferret on the day:
“We’re just delighted we’ve got this number of signatures. It shows the support for the proposal of this change, which could bring such positive benefits from a road safety perspective.
“Once you have that, it will change people’s attitudes in regard to comfort around walking, cycling and mobility users.”
The road safety group.
Woodfield Road
The council also recommended a separate 20mph speed limit plan for Woodfield Road in the Bilton area of Harrogate.
The project, funded through the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s AJ1 project road safety fund, will see the introduction of traffic calming measures, including speed cushions and a 20mph speed limit.
Cllr Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, told the Stray Ferret in November the measures were being taken “for the safety of children” ahead of the former Woodfield Road Community Primary School re-opening.
The school, which closed at the end of last year, is due to reopen as a secondary school for 80 autistic children in September 2024.
No further updates have been revealed since publication.
‘Landmark’ package unveiled
Following calls for change, North Yorkshire Council unveiled plans for the county’s largest ever “landmark” 20mph zone in September.
It proposed extensive reduced speed limit zones across the Pannal Ash and Oatlands areas of the town, which included Arthurs Avenue, Oatlands Drive, Yew Tree Lane and Cromwell Road.
It covered seven Harrogate schools in line with the parents’ wishes.
These were 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.
Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for highways and transport, said at the time:
“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.”
Cllr Keane Duncan.
Headteacher called for Otley Road to be included
After the package was announced, Neil Renton, headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School (HGS), called for a section of Otley Road to also be included in the 20mph zone.
Arthurs Avenue and surrounding side roads were set to be included in the reduced speed limit zone to protect HGS pupils, however Mr Renton said the zone should be extended to include the busy B6162 Otley Road where pupils enter the school.
He said this is a key route in-and-out of town and currently has a limit of 30mph.
The call came after council officers published a report ahead of a Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency meeting, during which Mr Renton’s concerns were expressed, which stated the “volume of traffic” on the road would mean it would not be possible to implement the 20mph speed limit.
Plans rejected
Despite hopes of change from teachers, councillors and campaigners, North Yorkshire Council rejected plans to include some of the main roads in the 20mph zone.
Following a December meeting, it appeared Leeds Road, Wetherby Road, Otley Road, Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, York Place and Leadhall Lane would not be included in the plan.
A report due before Cllr Duncan said the main roads were either identified as “strategic distributor” or “main distributor” roads, adding:
“Practically given the recognised role in the strategic network and their function to carry high volumes of traffic between primary destinations it is not considered appropriate to implement physical traffic calming features and an associated speed reduction to 20mph.”
Meanwhile, the council said Leadhall Lane “does not have identified destination points such as schools, shops or sports centre” and a 20mph limit would be “difficult to achieve”.
A map of the 20mph areas in Pannal and Oatlands. Picture: North Yorkshire Council.
‘Incredibly disappointed’
Christopher Harrison, headteacher at Oatlands Infant School, said he was “incredibly disappointed” with the news.
He hoped the council would reconsider and reduce the speed limit on Hookstone Road to 20mph from 30mph, adding:
“As headteacher of Oatlands Infant School, I am incredibly disappointed by the decision to keep Hookstone Road at 30mph.
“We have a healthy, active school community who love to walk, cycle and scooter to school alongside Hookstone Road on a daily basis.
“We worry that the current speed limit of 30mph is not safe enough for our children, and that a reduction to 20mph would enable more families to travel to school in safety. We hope that North Yorkshire Council reconsider this decision with our youngest, most vulnerable members of our community in mind.”
But Mr Harrison was not alone in his concern, as campaigner Hazel Peacock also urged the council to reconsider. She said:
“For the safety and well-being of the 9,000 school children and the wider community in Oatlands and Pannal Ash we urge North Yorkshire Council to reconsider the inclusion of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, Leadhall Lane, part of Leeds Rd (A61), Otley Rd (B6162), Wetherby Road (A661) and York Place (A6040) as 20mph in the Harrogate (south and west) 20mph Speed Limit review to be considered by Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transportation and mayoral candidate, on Monday 18th December.
“Without the inclusion of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, Otley Road and part of Wetherby Road specifically only five of the nine schools in the zone will be fully covered with 20mph roads immediately surrounding them; leaving St John Fishers Catholic High School and Willow Tree Primary School on 30mph roads and a combination of 30mph and 20mph in the case of Harrogate Grammar School and Oatlands Infant School.”
Next steps
The authority recommended the scheme, which is estimated to cost £200,000, proceed to consultation on traffic regulation orders for the areas proposed to be reduced to 20mph.
The recommendation was approved following an environmental meeting on Monday, December 18.
The council said in its decision:
“Approval given to allow officers to proceed; with the necessary consultations and Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process to seek to implement a 20mph speed limit, together with associated traffic calming measures as identified in the residential roads as outlined in Appendix A of the report and with signing and lining reviews of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive and Wetherby Road.”
It said officers are to provide the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee progress updates in Spring 2024.
The authority added:
“The recommendation aligns with several of the Council’s priorities linked with Highway Safety, Place and Environment and Health and Well Being.
“By introducing a reduced speed limit from 30mph to 20mph in these areas it is hoped that a safer and healthier environment will encourage enhanced active travel opportunities for all ages of the community, this may be walking, wheeling, accessibility to the bus or cycling.
“The introduction of such measures is subject to satisfactory consultation and the completion of the formal Traffic Regulation Order advertising process.”
A bad year for fatal collisions
The Harrogate district has seen several fatal crashes throughout this year, with one road becoming a common denominator in the incidents.
Four out of six fatal collisions happened on the A61, which runs between Ripon and Harrogate, two of which occurred within just eight days of each other.
A 59-year-old motorcyclist was killed on the road on August 29. Officers believe that the motorcyclist was travelling with a group of unknown motorcycles immediately before the collision and he was at the rear of the group.
Just a few days later, three members of a Ukrainian family were killed in a three-vehicle crash that involved a double decker bus on Sunday, September 3. A teenage girl was left orphaned.
Following the collisions, residents of South Stainley called for a speed limit reduction from 60mph to 50mph in October.
Rebecca Brewins, who lives alongside the road and lost her parents in a crash at South Stainley 11 years ago, led the campaign.
She and other residents met Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith, who subsequently urged North Yorkshire Council to act.
Richard Flinton, the council’s chief executive, indicated at the time the authority considered taking action.
In a letter to Mr Smith, seen by the Stray Ferret, Mr Flinton wrote:
“The reports for the recent fatal collisions are currently being drafted, but I am able to advise that the road environment was not considered to have been a factor in the cause of either fatal collision
“Therefore, the recommendations are limited to small scale localised improvements, such as the cleaning of road signs and refreshing of white lines.
“Nevertheless, in recognition of community concerns, North Yorkshire Council is currently carrying out a series of speed surveys along the A61, with a view to reducing the speed limit from 60mph to 50mph.
“Whilst mean speeds are unlikely to be excessive, the intention here is to set the expectations of the motorist, of the lack of overtaking opportunities, bends and other hazards associated with a high speed rural road.”
Police at the scene of the triple fatality on Sep 3 2023
Mr Flinton added the council was expected to consult on introducing a traffic regulation order to reduce the speed limit from the national default speed limit of 60mph.
He also said engineers will undertake “a full route analysis of the A61” to identify what else can be done to make the road safer.
Despite hopes of action being taken, another person was killed on the fated road just weeks later.
90-year-old Lucjan Wilk was hit by a car on the road, near Killinghall, after getting off the 36 bus.
His daughter, Paulina, whom he lived with, contacted the Stray Ferret to voice her concerns following her father’s death.
She urged North Yorkshire Council to reduce the speed limit on the “horrendous road”.
As well as suggesting a 30mph speed limit – instead of the current 40mph – Paulina also insisted the council should install proper lighting and introduce other traffic-calming measures, such as speed-indicator display signs.
It appears the requested measures are yet to come to fruition.
Lucjan Wilk was killed on the A61 near Killinghall.
Fatal collisions also happened on Brimham Rocks Road, near Pateley Bridge, North Park Road in Harrogate and the B6265 near Boroughbridge.
Read more:
- Police name victims of fatal A61 crash near Ripon
- Stray Views: Why no 20mph limit outside my children’s primary school?
Harrogate school road safety petition handed in to council
A petition calling for a 20 mph limit to be imposed on streets across the south of Harrogate has been delivered to North Yorkshire Council today.
Asking the council to consider the blanket limit across Rossett, Pannal Ash, Oatlands, Woodlands and Hookstone, the petition attracted more than 900 signatures.
It was set up by parents concerned about children’s safety when travelling to schools in the area, and gained the backing of groups including Harrogate District Cycle Action and Zero Carbon Harrogate.
Hazel Peacock, who delivered the petition this morning on behalf of the campaigning parents, said:
“We’re just delighted we’ve got this number of signatures. It shows the support for the proposal of this change, which could bring such positive benefits from a road safety perspective.
“Once you have that, it will change people’s attitudes in regard to comfort around walking, cycling and mobility users.”
She handed the petition to Elizabeth Jackson, democratic services manager for North Yorkshire Council.
After surpassing the required 500 signatures, it will now be debated by the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee.
Councillors John Mann, Pat Marsh and Michael Schofield, whose divisions cover the area of the proposed speed restriction and supported the restriction, all sit on the committee and handed over the petition with Hazel this morning.
Cllr Mann, whose Oatlands and Pannal division includes three primary schools, Ashville College and several nurseries and pre-schools, said:
“There is an urgent need in particular for a 20 mph limit for Yew Tree Lane, Green Lane, Hookstone Road, and Beechwood Grove, all of which are used by large numbers of children going to and from local schools, and I have emphasised this to the highways team at the council.
“In relation to the A61 Leeds Road, I have also written to the head of highways, Cllr Keane Duncan, to request that the 50 mph speed limit on Almsford Bank be reduced to 40 mph to reduce competitive speeding, and to improve road safety for schoolchildren using the pavements along the A61 near to the neighbourhoods of Stone Rings, the Fulwiths, and the Firs.
“The current risks to pedestrians using the A61 in this area were highlighted in January when a driver managed to overturn his car and demolish a 30mph sign at the top of Almsford Bank in the morning rush hour. In the same month, another vehicle overturned due to speeding in the early morning rush hour on Hookstone Road close to the junction with Hornbeam Park Avenue.”
The demolished 30 mph sign on Leeds Road
Cllr Mann said he would prefer the A61 Leeds Road to maintain its 30 mph limit through Oatlands in order to ease traffic flow, but that a reduction in the limit elsewhere was “urgently needed”.
He referenced a collision on Yew Tree Lane in which two 15-year-old boys from Rossett School were seriously injured, and another collision on Beechwood Grove which left an Oatlands Junior School pupil requiring hospital treatment – both of which happened while the children were on the pavement.
He added:
“These shocking events, combined with evidence showing that more than 10 children are killed or seriously injured in road crashes every week travelling to school, demonstrate the case for immediate action.
“With thousands of pupils travelling to and from the schools and colleges of south and west Harrogate during the week, implementing a maximum speed of 20mph in these areas has the potential to increase safety significantly.
“I really hope that this petition is looked upon favourably by the North Yorkshire Council highways team.”
Read more:
- ‘Comprehensive’ road safety improvements announced for Harrogate schools
- Knaresborough councillor says male-dominated executive not tackling road safety concerns
Malcolm Margolis, a member of Harrogate District Cycle Action, said reducing the speed limit would also make cycling a safer option for many families travelling to and from schools.
He said:
“It’s a terrific initiative by Hazel and the others. It’s absolutely needed in this area of Harrogate and we hoe it will be the start of it becoming normalised.
“In other countries, it’s just normal. You see parents and grandparents picking up children on their bikes. There’s no reason why we should be different.
“In a calmer 20mph environment, it’s so much more pleasant for anyone who isn’t in a car. In an urban area, it actually makes very little difference to journey times.”
Cllr Marsh, who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone for the Liberal Democrats, said she also backed the plan, and hoped it would be supported by North Yorkshire Police.
She added:
200-home Pannal Ash scheme ‘fails to address infrastructure’, say residents“I’ve been supporting this idea for a very long time. My late husband and I got a 20mph limit put outside Hookstone Chase Primary School and some of the residential streets close by well over 15 years ago.
“My only issue is I wish the police would monitor it, because if they don’t, motorists know it and will ignore it. We can’t put our children at risk.”
A plan for 200 homes at Harrogate’s former police training centre “fails to address” increased pressure on infrastructure in the area, say residents.
The plans from Homes England and Countryside Properties include the conversion of several former training centre buildings into 16 homes and building 184 new properties.
Homes England, which is the government’s housing agency, already had permission to build 161 homes on the site but wanted to increase this by 23% to 200 homes by building on three planned football pitches and one cricket field.
Harrogate Borough Council granted outline permission for the scheme to go ahead in December 2021.
But Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents’ Association has criticised the plan.
In a letter to the council, the group raised concern over the “over-intensification” of affordable housing, the impact on carbon emissions and disruption caused by construction traffic.
Read more:
- New settlement plans ‘paused’ after land withdrawn near Cattal
- Plans confirm football pitches will be lost in 200-home Harrogate scheme
Hapara added the proposal did not address how the increased pressure on infrastructure will be addressed.
It said:
“Disappointingly, this application, like many others, fails to specifically address the increased pressure that will be placed on infrastructure. Where do children go to be educated when schools in the vicinity are already at capacity?
“Where will people receive primary medical care when there are no doctors’ surgeries in the area?
“Will people really catch a bus into town rather than take their cars when the nearest stop is 1km away?”
Homes England appointed Countryside Properties in a £63 million contract to build the homes and a reserved matters application has now been submitted for the scheme.
This includes details such as landscaping, how the homes will look, and the site layout.
The developers said in a planning statement that the scheme will be of “high quality”.
It said:
‘Comprehensive’ road safety improvements announced for Harrogate schools“Careful consideration has been given to the detailed design of the proposal to ensure that it creates a high-quality and distinctive development that establishes a strong sense of place and provides an attractive and comfortable place to live.”
Traffic restrictions, new crossing points and vehicle activated signs are to be introduced to make schools safer in the Harrogate district.
A meeting was held at St Aidan’s Church of England High School yesterday in response to growing concerns about traffic outside schools.
School leaders, councillors, road safety leads from the emergency services and campaigners Hazel Peacock, Dr Vicki Evans and Dr Jenny Marks were among those attending.
Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire County Council’s Conservative executive member for highways and transport, said afterwards a series of measures would be introduced to “make travelling to school safer, healthier and happier”.
Full details are yet to be revealed but the measures will include Harrogate’s first School Streets pilot at Oatlands Junior School, which will see traffic banned except for residents and emergency vehicles on roads outside the school at busy times during school terms.
Cllr Duncan said:
“Today’s meeting represents a crucial step towards improving road safety and promoting more sustainable journeys for children and families.
“We are working closely with all Pannal Ash and Oatlands area schools, local councillors and residents to make improvements in these busy areas.
“The council has agreed to a comprehensive package of highway improvements to be delivered in the immediate term, including new crossing points, vehicle activated signs and Harrogate’s first School Streets pilot at Oatlands Junior School.
“We are continuing to work on further measures to be delivered in the longer term, including consideration of requests for new 20mph zones.”
Read more:
- Pressure grows as politicians join calls for road safety outside Harrogate schools
- Road safety charity lodges complaint against North Yorkshire transport chief
Concern about pupil safety was heightened when two 15-year-old boys from Rossett School were seriously injured outside Ashville College on February 2.
The 20’s Plenty for Us campaign, which wants 20mph to be the default option on residential streets and in town and village centres, has also been calling for change.
Representatives from the following schools attended the meeting: Harrogate Grammar School, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Rossett School, Western Primary, Rossett Acre Primary, Oatlands Junior School, Oatlands Infant School, St John Fisher’s Catholic High School, Ashville College, Harrogate College and Willow Tree Primary.
Blanket 20mph limit across south Harrogate ‘urgently needed’
A blanket 20mph speed limit across the south side of Harrogate is “urgently needed”, a councillor has said.
The proposal would see all streets between York Place and the southern edge of Harrogate limited to 20mph.
The petition has been set up by parents Hazel Peacock and Vicki Evans, who founded the Oatlands Road Safety and Active Travel Campaign. They say it is vital to ensure children can travel to and from school in safety.
The pair presented the case to councillors on Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency area committee yesterday.
Ms Peacock told councillors that the group wanted “safer streets for the community” and pointed out that the petition had already reached 700 signatures.
She said:
“Maximum speed limits of 20 miles per hour have been delivered in other rural and urban areas of Yorkshire and the UK including Calderdale, Cornwall, Oxford, Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders and London with positive effects.”
Read more:
- Pressure grows as politicians join calls for road safety outside Harrogate schools
- Accident reignites calls for safe routes to Harrogate schools
- Hundreds sign petition for 20mph limit across south Harrogate
She highlighted recent crashes on Beechwood Grove and on Yew Tree Lane, where two teenagers from Rossett School were seriously injured and required hospital treatment.
In the wake of the incident on February 2, headteachers from almost every primary and secondary school in the area met at Harrogate Grammar School to urge representatives of North Yorkshire County Council to take action.
During the meeting, Cllr John Mann, who represents Oatlands and Pannal, said he backed the proposal and described it as being “urgently needed”.
He said:
“I support the Oatlands road safety petition.
“I have written to the head of highways and the cabinet member for highways saying that I support the petition.
“I have also called for Yew Tree Lane, Green Lane, Hookstone Road and Beechwood Grove to have 20mph speed limits.
“In my view, as a member for the area, this change is urgently needed to improve road safety and reduce air pollution.”
Melissa Burnham, area highways manager for the county council, said the authority was meeting with the group to discuss the proposals.
Next week, the group is due to meet again – this time at St Aidan’s Church of England High School – and will be joined by a caseworker for Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, as well as the county council’s transport lead, Cllr Keane Duncan, and local councillors whose divisions are affected.
The meeting of more than 30 people will follow a walk around the Pannal Ash area led by the parents, for councillors and school representatives to discuss the issues.
Hundreds sign petition for 20mph limit across south HarrogateA petition calling for a blanket 20mph zone across an area on the south side of Harrogate has received more than 600 signatures in support.
The proposal would see all streets between York Place and the southern edge of Harrogate limited to 20mph.
The petition has been set up by parents Hazel Peacock and Vicki Evans, who founded the Oatlands Road Safety and Active Travel Campaign. They say it is vital to ensure children can travel to and from school in safety.
They wrote:
“We want safer streets for the children, young people and wider community when travelling to school and other locations in the area, from their home to their destination.
“Road safety has been of particular concern from school leaders, parents and carers of school children and local residents in Oatlands and the wider Harrogate area for many years.
“A maximum speed of 20mph is now urgently needed to reduce road collisions, improve safety, reduce air pollution and create a better environment for walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting to schools, shops, workplaces and local amenities.”
Dr Evans and Ms Peacock will present their proposal to a meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee on Thursday.
Their proposed 20mph zone covers as far east as Wetherby Road and extends west to West End Avenue and Green Lane.
There, it links with another existing petition for a 20mph zone and additional safety measures, including crossing points, proposed by campaigners Jenny Marks and Ruth Lily.
Dr Marks presented those plans to the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee in November.
Read more:
- Pressure grows as politicians join calls for road safety outside Harrogate schools
- Accident reignites calls for safe routes to Harrogate schools
Since then, pressure on NYCC’s highways department to improve road safety has grown, particularly following a serious collision on Yew Tree Lane that left two 15-year-old boys from Rossett School with leg injuries.
In the wake of the incident at the beginning of February, headteachers from almost every primary and secondary school in the area met at Harrogate Grammar School to urge representatives of NYCC to take action.
After the meeting, Rossett School’s acting headteacher, Pete Saunders, told the Stray Ferret:
“Speaking to the family of one of the boys [who was injured], they said that was one of five incidents that has affected just their family since their children were small.
“It’s a very pervasive issue. We will do whatever we can to support changes being made.”
Next week, the group is due to meet again – this time at St Aidan’s school – and will be joined by a caseworker for Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, as well as NYCC’s transport lead, Cllr Keane Duncan, and local councillors whose divisions are affected by the concerns over safety.
The meeting of more than 30 people will follow a walk around the Pannal Ash area led by the parents, for councillors and school representatives to discuss the issues.