North Yorkshire County Council is to look into installing a zebra crossing at the Prince of Wales roundabout in Harrogate.
Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for highways, has ordered council officers to conduct a feasibility study into creating an uncontrolled crossing on the exit at York Place. ‘Uncontrolled’ means there wouldn’t be any traffic lights.
The move comes after Malcolm Margolis, a local environment campaigner, posted a video on social media showing people struggling to cross the roundabout due to the volume of oncoming cars.
Mr Margolis said the crossing was “unsafe by design” and left people having to wait for cars to let them cross the road.
He said:
“They [pedestrians] either have to wait – and wait – for a decent gap in the traffic or, as here, rely on the kindness of drivers holding up traffic behind them while they make a run for it.”
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Cllr Mackenzie told the Stray Ferret a study will be prepared to look at the viability of a zebra crossing on the site.
He ruled out a traffic light crossing as this would see “cars stuck on the roundabout”.
Prince of Wales roundabout #Harrogate. Unsafe for pedestrians by design. They either have to wait – and wait – for a decent gap in the traffic or, as here, rely on the kindness of drivers holding up traffic behind them while they make a run for it. Zebra crossing essential. pic.twitter.com/rbwTlmUxaJ
— Malcolm Margolis BEM (@MalcolmMargolis) March 23, 2022
Cllr Mackenzie, who is due to step down from the county council at the May elections, said crossing at the Prince of Wales roundabout had been an issue for “many years”.
Cllr Don Mackenzie
He said:
“This has been something that has been existing for many years and we think the time has come that this needs to be looked at afresh.
“I have often heard people say that this is a difficult road to cross and you have to rely on the politeness of drivers.”
A study will now be drawn up by county council officials and brought before either Cllr Mackenzie or his successor as county councillor for highways.
Traffic and Travel Alert: Three days of roadworks to start at Prince of Wales roundaboutDrivers could face delays as three days of roadworks start at the Prince of Wales roundabout in Harrogate this morning.
North Yorkshire County Council is carrying out works to the street lighting at the roundabout. The work will include a lane closure on Leeds Road.
Work will take place between 9.30am and 3pm until Saturday, March 26.
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Prince Charles arrives at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire ShowPrince Charles paid a surprise visit to the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate today.
The Prince of Wales, accompanied by his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, wowed onlookers when they arrived shortly before 12.30pm on day three of the sell-out event.
There have been several visits to the show by senior royals in recent years. In 2008 the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh met exhibitors and inspected livestock.
Princess Anne visited in 2018 and Prince Andrew attended the following year. Prince Charles’ last appearance at the show was in 2011.
The Queen and Prince Philip at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2008.
Charles is no stranger to Harrogate. He and Camilla opened the 50th Harrogate International Festivals in 2016 and in 2008 he reopened the Royal Hall in Harrogate after its £8 million restoration.
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which runs the show, has extended it for four days this year to improve social distancing.
All 26,000 tickets each day have been sold.
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Harrogate’s hospitality sector reacts with disappointment to lockdown delay
Pubs, bars, and hotels in Harrogate have reacted with disappointment tonight to the prime minister’s announcement that the end of all lockdown restrictions will be delayed.
Alison Griffiths, landlady of the Prince of Wales pub in Starbeck, said she understood the “safety first” approach, especially as 10 of the pub’s regulars have lost their lives to covid.
But with a busy month of Euro 2020 fixtures ahead, she expects many customers will now prefer to watch the matches at home rather than in the stilted, socially distanced confines of the pub.
She added:
“People would rather be in their houses where they can stand up and shout”.
Andy Burrows, co-owner of District Bar on Cold Bath Road in Harrogate, said he understood the rationale behind the delay but said he’d grown weary of the restrictions.
“It just drags on, but it is what it is.
“Everyone has to be safe. We won’t complain and we’ll do what’s best”.
Mr Burrows said social distancing guidelines and masks dampened the bar experience and made it hard for staff to understand what customers were saying.
“But we’ve been lucky to have an outside area where people feel more comfortable.”
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Wayne Topley, managing director of Cedar Court Hotel, said the hotel faced a busy summer ahead with banquets, weddings and charity events booked in.
He said he awaited further details, adding:
“I had hoped the extension would not have been required, but if it is I presume it is based on clear data.
“Through the road map and the government communication process over the last 16 months, what we now understand is that the devil is in the detail and the detail won’t be clear until the government shares the announcement and the within a matter of hours the detailed guidance around the extension will be clear.”
Andy Barnsdale, general manager of the Doubletree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa, said it now planned to reopen in a month’s time, but he wondered if its hopes would be “dashed yet again”.
He said today’s announcement was “particularly disappointing for the hospitality, conference and events industries”, adding:
“However, we have to be mindful of the medical advice they are receiving, and nobody wishes the number of covid cases to rise.
“We are now looking ahead to fully reopening in a month’s time, but will our hopes be dashed yet again? I sincerely hope not.”
Ripon Cathedral and two churches in Knaresborough will be holding services this evening to allow congregations to offer their condolences.
Ripon Cathedral is holding a service of evensong at 6pm today to mark the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.
The cathedral told its congregation, via Facebook, that the service will include a reflection from the Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson DL. The service will be sung by the lay clerks of the cathedral’s choir.
Prince Philip died last Friday, aged 99
The Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Jo Ropner, will be attending.
The tenor bell will toll ahead of the service, half-muffled.
Guests will require a ticket, which can be booked here, and the cathedral asks everyone to be seated for 5.45pm.
Prince Philip died at Windsor Castle last Friday, aged 99.
During the period of mourning the cathedral has been open to visitors. People have been invited take a candle and a prayer card and sit in the cathedral to reflect.
Read more:
- Prayers were said for Prince Philip at Ripon Cathedral last weekend.
- Image Gallery: Prince Philip in the Harrogate district.
In Knaresborough, the Parish Church of St John the Baptist and the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Goldsborough will be open for prayer vigils.
Due to covid restrictions the churches have said they will not be offering books of condolence.
All of this evening’s services will be held in line with coronavirus restrictions.