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. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.
I am writing in response to a couple of articles relating to the council’s provision of electric vehicle charging points at its car parks in Knaresborough. The campaign itself is not reflective of the residents, taxpayers or visitors to Knaresborough.
The campaigners are failing to understand the effects petro carbons have not only on the environment but on people affected with chronic lung conditions like COPD and the more common asthma. There is also a direct cost to tax payers of Knaresborough as we have effectively paid for the electric vehicle charging points so to actively campaign for their removal is going to mean service provision cuts in order to fund it, and, no doubt in two years’ time to fund putting them back.
As such 0.12% of the Knaresborough taxpayer’s population are trying to make decisions for the 99% majority which is simply undemocratic and narrow minded.
If the issue is, as they allege that the car parks are full, what is wrong with reverting Gracious Street car park to short stay only? It used to have a maximum stay time so why not reintroduce this concept and make it two hours maximum stay with a no return in four hours, this could be extended to the castle car park.
Whilst the market place spaces could be subject to a very short term stay of one hour no return in four hours again. This leaves Conyngham Hall and York Place as longer stay car parks.
I have another proposal here too as there are businesses that do have car parking which may not be fully utilised so as a collective why don’t they work together and use the space we have but more effectively? What about car sharing? Using our fantastic public transport?
I am writing this letter due to the toxic nature of the anti-environment campaign given repeated air time at the Stray Ferret without seeking the views of Knaresborough taxpayers who will suffer if the spaces are removed.
We should be praising the council for taking the issue of pollution by the scruff of the neck and making Knaresborough a blueprint for other cities, towns and villages within North Yorkshire. I would welcome more clean air studies as per the Bond End work, subject to them getting government funding as I believe councils have funds but they can also apply for grants for such work.
Adrian Robson, Knaresborough
Lack of planning on trains after The Hundred match at Headingley
The match finished around 9.15pm. Burley Park station was mobbed with no staff to manage the situation. The platform was jammed and more people continued to arrive without any control – lots of families with young children.
People were very good natured but it was very lucky that there were no problems. After the test match, which ended at 6pm, there were loads of staff and transport police.
When the train arrived it was already busy and so everyone was jammed in. Surely this could have been planned for?
Stephen Hutchison, Harrogate
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.
Read more:
- Stray Views: Let’s see police tackle anti-social behaviour after Remembrance Day withdrawal
- Stray Views: Time to ban dogs from Valley Gardens
Trains stopped amid ‘concerns for safety’ of teenager on Crimple Valley viaduct
Trains on the Harrogate line were stopped this morning after emergency services were called to deal with concerns for the safety of a teenager on Crimple Valley viaduct.
The concerns were first reported to police just after 5.30am, and both North Yorkshire Police and British Transport Police attended the scene.
They were joined by staff from Yorkshire Ambulance Service, while North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service was on stand-by to help if needed.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:
“Police negotiators brought [it] to a safe conclusion just before 8.30am.
“A man aged in his late teens was checked over my paramedics and he is receiving medical support.”
Train services on the line had to be replaced by buses for a number of hours while police dealt with the incident.
The line is now clear, though Northern said delays to services could last “for some time due to displaced trains and crew”.
Read more:
- Police investigating after man dies on building site in Ripon village
- Concern over North Yorkshire Police’s decision not to attend all mental health call-outs
Storm Arwen: More than 700 Harrogate district homes still without power
Storm Arwen’s impact is still being felt with more than 700 homes still without power, some since Friday.
According to a live map organised by Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, more than 700 homes are without power.
The areas most affected are the HG3 and HG4 postcode, particularly Birstwith, Hampsthwaite and Spofforth.
We will keeping this live blog full of updates as we get them.
Have you been affected by the storm? Please send updates on the situation where you live to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk with a description of what has happened, where and any pictures.
1.50pm – Phone signal drops in Summerbridge
Reports of a loss of phone signal are still coming from outlying villages such as Summerbridge.
One Stray Ferret reader got in touch to say she lost phone signal around midday today, her colleagues are also without.
Similar reports came in after Friday night’s bad weather, the situation with signal and power to homes looks to be ongoing.
7.15am – Local resident books in to hotel due to lack of power at home
A Stray Ferret reader has got in touch to say after having no heating or hot water and being unable to cook since Friday evening left her choosing to book into a hotel.
She has called on Northern Powergrid to make updates more specific so she can see the progress on works affecting her.
November 29
7.05am – Northern Powergrid said it is still working to restore power to homes
Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, tweeted overnight to say its engineers were working through the night to try and restore power to homes still without.
Our teams are working into the night and engineers from across the UK are ready to support our continued response to #StormArwen
Read more – https://t.co/1rrcpUqWAs
— Northern Powergrid (@Northpowergrid) November 29, 2021
Yesterday, it told customers they may be “off supply for long periods” due to some areas needing intensive work. It has said all planned work has been postponed so teams can focus on getting customers back on supply.
3.17pm – North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum update
North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which coordinates the country’s emergency response to incidents, says “emergency services, councils and utilities services continue to work together across North Yorkshire to deal with the aftermath of Storm Arwen”.
The update adds:
“Whilst the strong winds have dropped, some homes and business are still being affected and there remain issues with snow and ice across much of the county.
“Northern Powergrid continues to work to restore power to homes and businesses in the area. We know, however, that some homes in parts of North Yorkshire continue to be affected.
“The Northern Powergrid website has details of when affected areas are likely to have power restored – www.northernpowergrid.com – using a live interactive map.”
Speaking on behalf of the forum, Neil Irving said:
“With an issue like this storm and the wintry weather that’s followed, it’s really important that we work together closely to make sure that those who need help are able to get it.
“Our joint response across emergency services, organisations delivering important infrastructure, and local councils providing support to people, mean that we’ve been able to combine and target our help more effectively.”
2.29pm – Weather warning for ice begins at 3pm
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for ice in the Harrogate district.
The warning comes into force at 3pm today and ends at 10am tomorrow.
Temperatures are forecast to fall to about freezing tonight in Harrogate but in remote areas, such as Greenhow Hill, it will feel like minus eight degrees centigrade.
The Met Office says:
- Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, making accidents more likely and journey times longer.
- Icy surfaces likely, increasing the risk of slips and falls.
1.51pm – Northern Powergrid update: 40,000 homes still affected
Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, has issued another update saying this is the largest storm to affect its network for 15 years.
It says power has been restored to 200,000 of 240,000 homes that suffered loss of supply. It is drafting in engineers from Northern Ireland Electricity and UKPN to resolve outstanding problems.
In a statement, it said:
“All resources available are deployed, including contractors, and the network operator, as part of an industry mutual aid agreement, has also secured additional teams from other UK network operators to bolster its response and assist with the complex permanent repairs needed following the impact of the storm.
“With more than 700 (of 1,100) incidents still to address, there is a huge amount of work to be completed. Many of the faults will require intensive work and are localised with smaller numbers of customers associated, which means some customers will remain off supply for long periods as the network operator works through this programme.
“Northern Powergrid’s teams are identifying those at risk of being off supply for more than another 24 hours so customers can make alternative arrangements.”
Rod Gardner, Northern Powergrid’s major incident manager, said:
“The storm was well forecasted and despite being prepared, Storm Arwen resulted in damage of a scale and intensity not seen for 15 years.
“We’re sorry that some customers are still without power despite the huge effort by our colleagues. We understand the impact this has on peoples’ lives particularly at this time of year.
He said the company was unable to keep pace with requests for info, adding:
“We pride ourselves on being able to keep our customers informed and we are doing everything possible to keep people updated using all available channels including social media. We’re sorry for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to address this.”
1.46pm – Power problems persist in Beckwithshaw
Reader Katharine Thompson informs us power has not returned to some homes in Shawfield Head in HG3
Storm Arwen: More than 700 Harrogate district homes still without power“We are only getting pre-recorded messages from Northern Powergrid when we ring their number despite being told we will get text updates.
“The last message said there were 54 houses in this postcode and 2 Leeds postcodes still without power. They estimate supply will be returned by midnight tonight but we are not holding out much hope.”
Storm Arwen’s impact is still being felt with more than 700 homes still without power, some since Friday.
According to a live map organised by Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, more than 700 homes are without power.
The areas most affected are the HG3 and HG4 postcode, particularly Birstwith, Hampsthwaite and Spofforth.
We will keeping this live blog full of updates as we get them.
Have you been affected by the storm? Please send updates on the situation where you live to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk with a description of what has happened, where and any pictures.
1.50pm – Phone signal drops in Summerbridge
Reports of a loss of phone signal are still coming from outlying villages such as Summerbridge.
One Stray Ferret reader got in touch to say her and her colleagues lost phone signal around midday today.
Similar reports came in after Friday night’s bad weather, the situation with signal and power to homes looks to be ongoing.
7.15am – Local resident books in to hotel due to lack of power at home
A Stray Ferret reader has got in touch to say after having no heating or hot water and being unable to cook since Friday evening left her choosing to book into a hotel.
She has called on Northern Powergrid to make updates more specific so she can see the progress on works affecting her.
7.05am – Northern Powergrid said it is still working to restore power to homes
Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, tweeted overnight to say its engineers were working through the night to try and restore power to homes still without.
Our teams are working into the night and engineers from across the UK are ready to support our continued response to #StormArwen
Read more – https://t.co/1rrcpUqWAs
— Northern Powergrid (@Northpowergrid) November 29, 2021
Yesterday, it told customers they may be “off supply for long periods” due to some areas needing intensive work. It has said all planned work has been postponed so teams can focus on getting customers back on supply.
3.17pm – North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum update
North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which coordinates the country’s emergency response to incidents, says “emergency services, councils and utilities services continue to work together across North Yorkshire to deal with the aftermath of Storm Arwen”.
The update adds:
“Whilst the strong winds have dropped, some homes and business are still being affected and there remain issues with snow and ice across much of the county.
“Northern Powergrid continues to work to restore power to homes and businesses in the area. We know, however, that some homes in parts of North Yorkshire continue to be affected.
“The Northern Powergrid website has details of when affected areas are likely to have power restored – www.northernpowergrid.com – using a live interactive map.”
Speaking on behalf of the forum, Neil Irving said:
“With an issue like this storm and the wintry weather that’s followed, it’s really important that we work together closely to make sure that those who need help are able to get it.
“Our joint response across emergency services, organisations delivering important infrastructure, and local councils providing support to people, mean that we’ve been able to combine and target our help more effectively.”
2.29pm – Weather warning for ice begins at 3pm
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for ice in the Harrogate district.
The warning comes into force at 3pm today and ends at 10am tomorrow.
Temperatures are forecast to fall to about freezing tonight in Harrogate but in remote areas, such as Greenhow Hill, it will feel like minus eight degrees centigrade.
The Met Office says:
- Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, making accidents more likely and journey times longer.
- Icy surfaces likely, increasing the risk of slips and falls.
1.51pm – Northern Powergrid update: 40,000 homes still affected
Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity distribution network across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, has issued another update saying this is the largest storm to affect its network for 15 years.
It says power has been restored to 200,000 of 240,000 homes that suffered loss of supply. It is drafting in engineers from Northern Ireland Electricity and UKPN to resolve outstanding problems.
In a statement, it said:
“All resources available are deployed, including contractors, and the network operator, as part of an industry mutual aid agreement, has also secured additional teams from other UK network operators to bolster its response and assist with the complex permanent repairs needed following the impact of the storm.
“With more than 700 (of 1,100) incidents still to address, there is a huge amount of work to be completed. Many of the faults will require intensive work and are localised with smaller numbers of customers associated, which means some customers will remain off supply for long periods as the network operator works through this programme.
“Northern Powergrid’s teams are identifying those at risk of being off supply for more than another 24 hours so customers can make alternative arrangements.”
Rod Gardner, Northern Powergrid’s major incident manager, said:
“The storm was well forecasted and despite being prepared, Storm Arwen resulted in damage of a scale and intensity not seen for 15 years.
“We’re sorry that some customers are still without power despite the huge effort by our colleagues. We understand the impact this has on peoples’ lives particularly at this time of year.
He said the company was unable to keep pace with requests for info, adding:
“We pride ourselves on being able to keep our customers informed and we are doing everything possible to keep people updated using all available channels including social media. We’re sorry for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to address this.”
1.46pm – Power problems persist in Beckwithshaw
Reader Katharine Thompson informs us power has not returned to some homes in Shawfield Head in HG3
“We are only getting pre-recorded messages from Northern Powergrid when we ring their number despite being told we will get text updates.
“The last message said there were 54 houses in this postcode and 2 Leeds postcodes still without power. They estimate supply will be returned by midnight tonight but we are not holding out much hope.”
1.24pm – Yorkshire Water update
https://twitter.com/YorkshireWater/status/1464946526707453952
1.13pm – Power returns to Washburn Valley
Victoria Oldham, the Conservative councillor for Washburn Valley, has messaged to say that power has returned to Washburn Valley.
It had seemed like a long, cold, snowy day was in store for residents after Northern Powergrid advised power was likely to be off all day so this news will be most welcome on this bitterly cold November day.
Is anywhere in the Harrogate district still without power? Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
11.51am – Northern Powergrid deploys customer support vehicle
Unfortunately the vehicle is in Wooler town centre in Northumberland. Many people are struggling for updates on the situation where they live so as welcome as this is for people further north, it means the waiting continues for local people still without power.
Our Customer Support Vehicle is outside the Black Bull in #Wooler.
Joe and John from Team Powergrid are providing hot drinks, bottled water, flasks with hot water and winter warmer packs for those with out power.'
— Northern Powergrid (@Northpowergrid) November 28, 2021
10.18am – Washburn Valley expected to be without power until midnight
Victoria Oldham, the Conservative councillor for Washburn Valley, has tweeted that her ward is likely to be without power until midnight.
This is bad news for people in Dob Park, Norwood, North Rigton, Low Snowdon, Fewston, Blubberhouses and the villages in between.
Please keep us informed with the situation in your area by emailing contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
So the latest news from @Northpowergrid is that electricity will be restored by midnight in the Washburn Valley. It has been off since 10p.m. on Friday.
The landline has died, but at least the mobile signal is back. Happy Sunday everyone.— Victoria Oldham (@VictoriaOldham4) November 28, 2021
9.47am – Power restored to another 8,000 homes
Northern Powergrid has just issued another update. That means about 50,000 homes are still affected.
We've restored power to a further 8,000 customers. Our teams continue to do all we can to safely restore power following significant damage to our network by #StormArwen pic.twitter.com/6d0YkZRO0R
— Northern Powergrid (@Northpowergrid) November 28, 2021
9.16am – 58,000 homes still without power
An overnight update by Northern Powergrid revealed it had restored power to around 182,000 of some 240,000 homes and businesses whose supplies were affected by Storm Arwen. It added it hoped to “restore power to the 58,000 customers still affected as soon as we can”.
It is not known how many of those affected are in the Harrogate district, with many people reporting on social media they have been unable to get through to Northern Powergrid for further information.
The company’s update said it was responding to 700 of some 900 instances of damage. It added:
“Today has been one of the most challenging we have seen in over a decade with our teams being unable to safely climb for over 24 hours, due to the storm force winds. Although this has been frustrating, safety of our people is paramount. We have focused our efforts on work which could be completed to assess the scale of damage and response needed to repair the network.
“The storm has caused varying degrees of damage across the whole of our operating area, with the North East region taking the brunt of the storm. Fallen trees and flying debris have damaged electricity infrastructure in numerous locations and travel conditions remain challenging in some places.
“Our customer support vehicles have been deployed in communities, wherever possible, to support customers and we continue to work with the British Red Cross and multi-agency partners to support those most vulnerable.
“If weather conditions remain as forecasted, from first light we will use our helicopter to spot damage locations and inform its teams on the ground.
“Please remember that anyone who spots any damaged cables or equipment must not approach the area as equipment may still be live and pose a risk of electrocution but should contact us immediately by calling 105.”
8.26pm – Northern Powergrid urges people without power to ‘seek alternative accommodation’
It is still unclear how many people in the Harrogate district are without power but those that are have been told not to expect it to return tonight.
Northern Powergrid has said problems are expected to persist ‘through the night and into tomorrow’. Not the best news with temperatures in the district forecast to fall to minus three degrees centigrade tonight.
If you are still without power, it is very likely that you will be off through the night and into tomorrow.
If you can seek alternative accommodation with family and friends it is recommended to do so – or if you know someone without power, consider if you can offer support. pic.twitter.com/ppQnxCl4ra
— Northern Powergrid (@Northpowergrid) November 27, 2021
8.19pm – Sun Inn at Norwood forced to close
The pub said on social media:
“We have currently no electric or phone line . We will be unable to serve food this evening as all the staff have gone home after a very long four hours waiting patiently for it to come back on . Hopefully we will be up and running tomorrow.”
7.16pm – No water or low water pressure in HG4
We have received an email from a reader saying there is no water in North Stainley because of power problems at a pumping station. Yorkshire Water has said in a message to residents:
“You may have no water or low pressure in HG4. We will restore supplies as soon as possible. Water may return cloudy or discoloured for an hour or two but this will pass.”
Let us know what the latest situation is there and elsewhere as the Harrogate district recovers from Storm Arwen.
5.50pm – Another fallen tree, this time at Felliscliffe
Reader Alan Peel took this photo at lunchtime today of a fallen tree on Tang Road, between Whitewall Lane and Birstwith Hall. Are many roads still affected by the storms? Please keep us informed of the situation across the Harrogate district by emailing contact@thestrayferret.co.uk/
3.45pm – Harrogate district residents urged to look after each other
The body responsible for responding to emergencies in North Yorkshire has urged residents to pull together in the aftermath of Storm Arwen.
Emergency services at local councils have been working together during the high winds to clear roads and keep people safe.
However, thousands across the Northern Powergrid region remain without power as the storm moves on and temperatures plummet.
North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum has asked for neighbours to invite those vulnerable without power into their homes or make arrangements for alternative accommodation.
Avoid the seafronts. At least one person has been swept out by the waves and rescued off the North Yorkshire coast today.
Inspector Amy Hunter from North Yorkshire Police, said:
“Due to the high level demand in calls for service there may be a delay when calling the police on 101.
“We ask members of the public not to ring 999 if you can’t get through on 101, please leave the lines free for genuine emergencies.”
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has attended around 50 incidents. The majority of these incidents included falling trees, power lines and dangerous structures.
Neil Irving, on behalf of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, said:
“County and district councils and emergency services continue to pull out all the stops to keep highways clear and our residents safe and we are calling on all our residents to help us in this endeavour.
“Travel only if you need to and remain vigilant. Above all please look out for neighbours and friends particularly those who are elderly and frail who may be without power for a prolonged period in very cold weather, especially as nightfall approaches.
“We are calling on friends and neighbours and people without power to consider making arrangements together to move people into warm accommodation until power is restored.”
2.45pm – Homes will be without power today and into tomorrow
Homes across the Harrogate district that have been without power since last night may not get the supply back until tomorrow.
While it is difficult to get a hold of the impact on the district specifically with Northern Powergrid’s outage map down, we have received a number of complaints about the issue.
More than 108,000 properties are still affected. Here is what a spokesperson for the power company said:
“Storm Arwen, which continues to hit the region, has brough windspeeds of up to 100 mph and is the largest storm to impact our network since 2005.
“More than 219,000 homes and businesses have been affected and we have restored power to some 111,000 customers.
“With 108,000 still affected, and as a result of the ongoing situation, many customers will be off supply for the majority of the day and into tomorrow or when it is safe to carry out repairs.”
2pm – Storm Arwen starts to relent
Storm Arwen is beginning to relent after battering the Harrogate district over the last 24 hours.
The Met Office has said that the strongest of the winds have now passed but there are still severe weather warnings in place across the UK.
A yellow warning for wind is still vald until 6pm. However, the storm is now moving southwards.
The worst of the winds may have passed but there is a cold night ahead with a yellow warning for ice in place between 5pm and 11am tomorrow.
Chief meteorologist Steve Ramsdale, said:
“Storm Arwen has delivered some dangerously strong winds overnight, with gusts in excess of 90mph recorded and sustained windspeeds of over 60mph.
“The strong winds will move south across the UK through the day, gradually weakening.
“Warnings are in still in force through the day and there has been widespread disruption so check and follow advice from local authorities before you head out.
“There is a chance of snow in some locations, particularly the higher ground in Scotland and Northern England where we have already seen some accumulations.
“Any snow falling at lower levels is likely to be short lived.”
12.55pm – Tree down on Jenny Field Drive
Thanks to reader Jacci Stephenson who sent us this photo of a tree down on Jenny Field Drive in Harrogate today.
We also received this tweet about trees down in Bilton.
Two trees down on Bilton cycle path, one just north of Bilton lane easily avoided , the other just beyond the railway line bridge much harder to get round.
— terribletim (@terribletim6) November 27, 2021
We also understand many homes are still affected by the severe weather. Have things improved in Fewston since we received this tweet?
We have no electricity in Fewston and no mobile phone signal. We’ve phoned National Power Grid from the town centre to determine what is happening and they’re not taking calls and their website is down. We’re truly in the dark!
— steven (@Mincemoosemeat) November 27, 2021
Let us know the latest situation where you are by emailing contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
12.45pm – North Powergrid struggling to restore power
Northern Powergrid says Storm Arwen is the largest storm to impact network since 2005.
Parts of Yorkshire and the north east of England have significant damage to power network and although it has managed to restore power to many homes a significant number remain without power.
Rod Gardner, Northern Powergrid’s Major Incident Manager, said:
“Our contact centre is very busy and our website is experiencing issues due to the volume of customers using it. Our teams are doing everything possible to resolve this and we are continuing to provide updates on our social media channels which we encourage customers to share”
Continued storm force winds mean it is currently unsafe for teams to climb and repair any damage caused to overhead power lines by fallen trees and flying debris.
Northern Powergrid warned that customers maybe off supply for the majority of the day and into tomorrow, or when it is safe to carry out restoration and repairs.
11.45am – Cancelled Christmas events across Harrogate district
(Closed) RHS Harlow Carr: Due to weather warnings & high winds, RHS Garden Harlow Carr is closing today (Sat 27 Nov) & this evening’s Glow event is cancelled. If you have booked for the garden or Glow you’ll automatically be refunded within the next 14 days. We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused.
(Closed) Harrogate Theatre: Harrogate Theatre has now confirmed that it has been forced to cancel the whole weekend of scheduled panto performances. Storm Arwen has left the building with a leak.
(Closed) Brimham Rocks: National Trust has closed Brimham Rocks today due to high winds. The site said it is not safe for visitors or staff.
(Closed) Fountains Abbey: National Trust has closed Fountains Abbey near Ripon today due to high winds. The site said it is not safe for visitors or staff.
(Closed) Stockeld Park: The Christmas Tree Shop will be opening from 1pm today when winds are forecast to reduce to safe levels. The Adventure Park remains closed today as the storm through the night has caused some damage and the team are spending the day clearing up the debris and ensuring the site is safe.
Rides in Harrogate: Due to the anticipated high winds, the attractions in #Harrogate (Ferris wheel, carousel and helter-skelter) may not be running this weekend. The situation will be monitored throughout.
11.30am – Train disruption on Harrogate lines
Train commuters have faced lots of disruption this morning due to the strong winds caused by Storm Arwen.
Northern Rail has said that services will either be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised.
On the Harrogate board, the 11.45am to Leeds and 1.05pm to York are cancelled.
11am – Tree falls on moving car in Sharow
A clean up operation has just begun after a tree fell on a moving car with a driver inside in Sharow.
The incident occured this morning on Dishforth Road. We understand that the person inside suffered minor injuries.
We asked both North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue for more information but received no reply.
10.30am – Weekend of pantos cancelled at Harrogate Theatre
Harrogate Theatre has now confirmed that it has been forced to cancel the whole weekend of scheduled panto performances.
The theatre is currently undergoing a roof replacement. However, Storm Arwen has left the building with a leak.
It means that the 12pm and 5pm performances both today and tomorrow will not go ahead.
10.15am – Harrogate Theatre cancels panto over leak
Harrogate Theatre has been forced to cancel its performance of Cinderella at 12pm today due to a leak caused by Storm Arwen.
It is unclear at this stage whether the 5pm will be able to go ahead.
https://twitter.com/HGtheatre/status/1464536490273394698
9.50am – Power out in areas across the Harrogate district
Storm Arwen has left some people in the Harrogate district without power this morning.
A Stray Ferret reader in Fewston called Steven has told us they are currently without power and mobile phone signal this morning.
Northern Powergrid has said 112,000 of its customers are currently without power with more than 550 instances of damage on the network.
#StormArwen is continuing to batter our region and causing ongoing damage to our network.
We have restored power to 88,000 homes and businesses. We currently have 112,000 customers without power and we have more than 550 instances of damage on our network. pic.twitter.com/QvPLADIDAg
— Northern Powergrid (@Northpowergrid) November 27, 2021
9.15am – An update for the roads across the Harrogate district
Some trees have been cleared from main roads but there is still plenty of disruption across the Harrogate district.
- A tree has fallen onto a car on Dishforth Road in Sharow
- Tang Lane in Swincliffe blocked due to a large fallen tree, pictured above
- Reports of a fallen tree on High Moor Road near North Rigton
- Reports of a fallen tree on Follifoot Road near Pannal Golf Club
Pennypot Lane and Jennyfield Drive are now clear after fallen trees have been cleared
8.30am – Parkrun cancelled due to weather conditions
Organisers of the Parkrun in Harrogate have cancelled the event this morning due to Storm Arwen.
Harrogate Parkrun tweeted a picture of a downed tree and said it was just not safe to go out.
Nobody wants a tree on their head so we are cancelled today.
Sorry folks it’s just not safe for our runners or volunteers to go ahead this morning.
Stay safe, have a wonderful weekend and we’ll see you soon. pic.twitter.com/cR19KzhX4G
— Harrogate parkrun (@Hgateparkrun) November 27, 2021
8.15am – Buses are still running across the district
The Harrogate Bus Company is running its services across the Harrogate district this morning with a couple of exceptions:
- Harrogate Electrics 2A is unable to serve Rawson Street, Elm Road, Alder Road Dene Park stops
- The 24 is also disrupted between Darley and Birstwith
Transdev CEO Alex Hornby tweeted:
“This morning has been challenging. Our teams are doing a tremendous job to get buses moving in the storms and snow (and around many fallen trees!). We are doing our best to update you on our social channels.
“Thanks to everyone for doing their bit – and for your patience today.”
8am – Fallen trees causing issues on the roads
We have seen several reports overnight and this morning of fallen trees causing issues on the roads across the Harrogate district.
- Reports of tree in road on Jennyfield near the junction with Lindrick Way
- Reports of tree down on Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate
- Police incident on Dishforth Road in Sharow, reports of tree down and crash
- Reports of tree in road on Ripon Road south of Wormald Green
Have we missed anything? Get in touch so we can add it to our live blog and let others know.
LNER plans significant changes to Harrogate to London rail schedule
LNER is planning to change its East Coast Main Line timetable from May 2022, with a significant shake-up to services from Harrogate.
The operator currently runs six trains each way between London King’s Cross and Harrogate each day and there are several key changes on the cards.
It says the planned improvements will benefit its fleet of 65 diesel-electric Azuma trains, which use Japanese bullet train technology.
LNER is calling for the public to give feedback on the full timetable over the next eight weeks.
Big changes to and from London
Direct departures from Harrogate to the capital would move from odd hours to even ones:
- The first service would leave earlier, at 6.35am rather than 7.34am
- A new seventh daily train would leave Harrogate at 6.35pm. On the current schedule, the last train departs at 5.36pm.
In the opposite direction, from London direct to Harrogate:
- Trains would start almost an hour earlier (6.40am rather than 7.33am)
- The final service back would also be earlier, at 4.39pm rather than 5.33pm.
- There are no plans to run an extra seventh train from London to Harrogate.
LNER estimates that travel times between Harrogate and London would be about 10 minutes faster.
There would be a new direct daily service to Newark North Gate, but this would come at the expense of the direct Grantham service. Passengers to the south-west Lincolnshire market town would need to change at Leeds or Doncaster.
Read more:
- Ripon student wins award for environmentally friendly rail app
- Harrogate taxi firm begins insolvency proceedings
The rail company said in its consultation document that the May 2022 timetable’s core structure is fixed, but that “it may be possible to make some local adjustments in response to feedback”.
David Horne, LNER managing director, said:
“Our new consultation gives us the opportunity to hear the views of our customers and communities across LNER’s route on the proposed improvements we’d like to make from next May, including faster services and more seats between London, York Newcastle and Edinburgh.
“We are confident of the future of long-distance rail travel on the East Coast route and that, by delivering to our customers the full benefit of our new trains and upgraded tracks, we can help level-up and connect the country, protect the environment and support our communities and destinations.”
Have your say on the plans here. The consultation is open until August 5.
“Appalling” and “unacceptable” say opposition parties after The Sunday Times reported yesterday that Britain’s most cancelled train is the 07:13 from Harrogate to Leeds.
The paper published figures from ontimetrains.co.uk which provides statistics on rail punctuality. The paper revealed that the 07:13 was cancelled 28 times out of 55 since new timetables were introduced last year- failing to run on more than half of days in the December to February period analysed.
Northern rail was stripped of its franchise in March for consistently poor performance and is now operated by the government.
The Harrogate Line Supporters Group says it’s been told the cancellations were due to a shortage of staff and more services than normal needing repairs and that there are also serious problems with the 07:46 Harrogate to Leeds.
Harrogate’s Conservative MP, Andrew Jones, who was Rail Minister for 8 months between November 2018 and July 2019 declined to comment to The Stray Ferret on the Sunday Times report. He has previously criticised Northern and supported the move to government ownership.
Opposition parties in Harrogate were united in calling for more money to improve the line. Judith Rogerson, spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said
We have had to put up with an appalling service for far too long. Whilst I welcome the removal of the franchise from Northern Rail, that is only a first step in the right direction. Responsibility now lies squarely with the Government to provide the re-organisation and investment that our local railways desperately need.
Mark Sewards of Harrogate & Knaresborough Labour party, said
It’s completely unacceptable.. Labour has long advocated for our railways to be brought back into public control, and it seems that the government has accepted our argument by terminating Northern Rail’s contract. Money needs to be invested in the Harrogate Line and other train lines in the north of England which have been woefully neglected by a decade of Tory mismanagement.
The Stray Ferret will be tracking the performance of rail services in the district in the coming months.