A Bentley that was casually parked on the Stray today has reignited the fierce debate about cars not following the rules when it comes to the 200-acre parkland.
The luxury vehicle was spotted parked on the grass, and on double yellow lines, this afternoon on Willaston Road, which is off Knaresborough Road and close to Harrogate District Hospital.
Parking on the Stray has been a long-running problem for Harrogate Borough Council. Last year it erected signs that said motorists parking illegally risk a £100 fixed penalty notice or being towed away.
A Twitter user claimed the chrome Bentley had been there for three days, which prompted the council to immediately despatch a member of its parking team to the stricken vehicle.
Less than an hour later, the car was spotted by a Stray Ferret reporter driving down Parliament Street.
It is not known whether the owner received a fixed penalty notice.
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Shocking video shows teens ripping up trees on Harrogate Stray
A group of teenagers have been filmed ripping trees from the ground on the Stray last night.
Sara and John Scott were walking home from town along the footpath adjacent to the railway line when they saw the group of teenagers ripping the trees from their roots.
The pair were so angry they chose to film what was happening. The video shows a small group of three teens tearing the trees down at 7.30pm.
Ms Scott said:
“There was a lot of them down there earlier, as I think it was the last day of the exams but at the time of this video, there was about 10 left. They were all drunk and doing this. Playing music, drinking and they ripped down 2 different trees that we saw.”
The couple live close by and often walk through the Stray, they said it was “infuriating” to see people treat it in such a way.
The Stray Ferret visited the area today and could see two young trees on the ground with just a stump remaining.
These images, taken today, show the remaining stumps of the two trees reportedly torn down last night
Judy d’Arcy Thompson, chair of the Stray Defence Association, said the actions of a few young people were “appalling”. She said the Stray is respected by thousands of people young and old and the actions of a few were a huge disappointment.
She said:
“Why did they feel the need to do that? We are blessed with the Stray so why is it deemed a celebration to destroy nature? It’s appalling to be actively destroying the Stray like this.”
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Harrogate Borough Council, which is the caretaker of the Stray, said:
“Our parks and grounds maintenance teams work year round to ensure we have a beautiful district to live or work in and for visitors to enjoy.
“To see this pointless destruction and disregard for our lovely natural environment is shocking. Unfortunately the individuals don’t seem to realise that their behaviour doesn’t just impact on them but the enjoyment of others.
“We urge anyone who witnessed the incident and has not yet reported it to North Yorkshire Police, to do so.”
The Stray Ferret also spoke to North Yorkshire Police, it said the incident had been reported at 7.40pm last night. In a statement the police said:
Calls for more temporary sites for Travellers in Harrogate district“We would advise anyone who witnessed the incident but has not reported it to the police to get in touch.
“Incident number 12220108383.”
There have been calls for Travellers to have more temporary sites in the Harrogate district.
Cllr David Goode, who is a resident in Knaresborough and a Liberal Democrat town councillor, said recent groups of Travellers setting up camp had been met with “negative feelings” from locals.
Travellers parked on the old rugby field on Hay-a-Park Lane last week and were served legal notice to leave by Harrogate Borough Council.
Several caravans and cars also parked on the Stray near to Oatlands Drive.
All the Travellers have now moved on.
Cllr Goode said while the council has already set up a permanent designated Travellers site off the Knaresborough bypass, there needed to be more transit sites where groups can stay temporarily.
He added that council officials should start to engage with local Gypsy and Travellers trusts to find out what more can be done.
Cllr Goode said:
“My thinking coming out of this is to start engaging with the local Gypsy trust.
“They will know the issues.”
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Sharon Calvert, who also lives in Knaresborough and has worked with Travellers in her role in education, shared the view that more temporary sites should be set up.
She said:
“What they need is to have a transit site. There are always going to be Travellers coming through [the district].
“We need some joined up thinking on this. There needs to be some temporary sites on the A1 with running water and facilities to get rid of rubbish. There must be some sites.”
‘Engagement is number one’
Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange, a charity which aims to improve the quality of life for the communities, said engagement with Gypsy and Travellers in the first instance was important.
In September 2020 the organisation worked with Leeds City Council to create a good practice guide to design Traveller sites as part of its work.
A spokesperson for Leeds GATE told the Stray Ferret that it was important for authorities to make those community links to better understand Gypsy and Traveller people.
They said:
“The engagement with the community is number one. Whether it is a council or a planning department, they really need to make those community links.
“There are organisations that people can speak to. We at Leeds GATE are here and we do make ourselves known.”
In the Harrogate district, North Yorkshire County Council owns and maintains two designated sites for Travellers.
One is at Bickerton and another is off Thistle Hill in Knaresborough.
Did 120,000 visitors attend Harrogate council’s jubilee events?Harrogate Borough Council’s claim that 120,000 visitors attended two jubilee events over the recent four-day weekend has been questioned.
To celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, the council and Harrogate Business Improvement District turned part of the Stray into Jubilee Square. The venue included a stage and big screens showing events such as the Queen’s birthday parade.
Valley Gardens hosted a free family festival, organised by the council, which featured jugglers, magicians, choirs and fairground rides. An artisan market was also held in the Sun Colonnade in the gardens.
The free rides in Valley Gardens were a hit with families.
Following the two events, the council’s tourism body Destination Harrogate issued a news release that said 120,000 visitors attended over the four days.
Whilst the events were clearly popular, the council’s figures suggest as many people attended them as the British Grand Prix, Leeds Festival or the Great Yorkshire Show.
How was the figure calculated?
The Stray Ferret asked the council how the figure of 120,000 was calculated.
At Valley Gardens, a system called PFM counted whenever someone entered, meaning one person could be counted multiple times.
A council spokesperson confirmed that “if people went between two sites then they could be counted twice”. They added:
“Of course, when it isn’t a ticketed event you can’t be 100 per cent but we believe over the four days there were more than 120,000 visits to both locations.”
The council’s method of counting visits means that a family of four would have been counted 8 times if they had begun the day at the Valley Gardens, gone to the Stray and returned to Valley Gardens later in the day.
Jubilee Square on the Sunday night.
If they did the same thing again the next day, the same family would have been counted another 8 times.
This suggests the true number of people that attended the events could be significantly lower than the “120,000 visitors” stated in the news release.
Read more:
- Mixed picture for Harrogate town centre as jubilee celebrations end
- How the Harrogate district celebrated the jubilee
‘Loose with the facts’
Harrogate district resident and transparency campaigner Alex Smith has queried the council’s use of statistics on previous occasions.
He has questioned its claim that three million people visit Valley Gardens a year and has also queried a comment by Conservative council leader Richard Cooper that 88% of Harrogate Convention Centre conference delegates return to the district for leisure.
Mr Smith accused the council of using “bogus” visitor numbers to trumpet its jubilee events and to justify spending on projects such as the proposed £47m redevelopment of the convention centre.
He added:
“Obviously this is an attempt at PR for their Destination Harrogate intentions.
“But with the future of of the town centre at stake we deserve better than a council playing fast and loose with the facts.”
Asked to respond to Mr Smith’s comments, the council spokesperson insisted its jubilee figure was accurate. They said:
Final call to sign up for Harrogate’s Race for Life“We use a system called PFM that records visitor numbers to Valley Gardens in Harrogate. This system recorded 120,258 visitors between Thursday 1 June and Sunday 4 June.
“As we knew visitors could – and would understandably want to – enjoy all the events taking place across Harrogate town centre, we used a rounded figure and phrase of ‘more than 120,000’.”
There’s been a final call for people to sign up for this year’s Race for Life on the Stray in Harrogate.
Thousands of people whose families or friends have been affected by cancer are due to take part in the event to raise money for Cancer Research UK on Sunday, July 10.
Women, men and children can choose from 3k, 5k and 10k events. There is also a chance to take part in Pretty Muddy – a mud-splattered obstacle course . There’s also a Pretty Muddy Kids option too.
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Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, raises funds for research into 200 types of cancer – including bowel cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, testicular cancer, brain cancer, children’s cancers and leukaemia.
Siobhan Byrne, Race for Life spokesperson for Yorkshire, said:
“Everyone can play their part to help beat cancer.
“We’re making a final call to the people of Harrogate to sign up today. Sadly, cancer affects all of us in some way. Whether people are living with cancer, taking part in honour of or in memory of a loved one with cancer, or signing up to protect their own children’s future, everyone has a reason to Race for Life. So, we’re asking people across the area: ‘Who will you Race for?’
“Our Race for Life events are open to all. For some people, the Race for Life is literally a walk in the park. Slow and steady still wins. For others, it’s a jog. Others may opt to push themselves harder, taking up the challenge of the 10k distance and even pushing for a new personal best time.
“But what is for certain is we’re looking forward to welcoming people of all ages and abilities. Race for Life Harrogate will be fun, emotional, colourful, uplifting and an unforgettable event this year.”
Oonagh Turnbull, Head of Health Campaigns at Tesco, said:
“This will be our 21st year in partnership with Cancer Research UK and Race for Life and we hope this year can be the biggest yet.”
To sign up to the Harrogate Race for Life event go to raceforlife.org.
Council criticised for leaving ‘scorched earth’ rings around Stray treesHarrogate Borough Council has been criticised for spraying weed-killing chemicals around trees on the Stray leaving ‘scorched earth’ rings around them.
From UCI cycling to litter and rewilding, no topic exercises Harrogatonians quite like the Stray.
The latest debate involves the council’s approach to managing weeds on the 200-acre parkland which has troubled environmentalists and led to criticism on social media.
The council recently sprayed glyphosate around the base of almost every tree, bin and bench. It’s the most widely used pesticide in history but its use is controversial.
Exposure to glyphosate has been linked to poor health and several UK councils have pledged to stop or limit its use due to its negative impact on the environment.
Shan Oakes, Harrogate & District Green Party co-ordinator, criticised HBC for using the pesticide and said “we have to stop poisoning the planet”.
“It looks horrible. It doesn’t look good, so why do you need to tidy up vegetation around trees? Greenery looks better than scorched earth.
“We need plants wherever we can put them, nature doesn’t know about so-called weeds.
“We need to stop removing every little weed and so on, we have to think about bees and all the rest of the wildlife. We depend on nature.”
Rewilding row
This year, the council’s parks team has again left grass verges close to the roadside on West Park Stray uncut until late autumn to improve biodiversity.
But at least one tree has been sprayed with glyphosate in the middle of a grass verge that has been left to ‘rewild’.
Ms Oakes said the example was “an absolute contradiction”. She added:
“It’s like the plastic grass fiasco, they have not got their head around a different approach to gardening. Rewilding means a different kind of management.”
Judy d’Arcy Thompson, chair of the Stray Defence Association, took a more pragmatic approach to weed-killing on the Stray.
She said the council “presumably have their reasons” for spraying the chemicals but added weeds can give the Stray an unsightly appearance.
On rewilding, she said the verges have been used as a dumping ground for litter and dog waste.
“All those that love the wilding, there are those that hate it.
“Its a very difficult situation. It can look good and we must help the bee population. I’m down the middle on it. It’s an emotive subject, people get wound up about it.”
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Council’s response
A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson explained why it has been using the weed-killer on the Stray.
Travellers leave Harrogate’s Stray“Twice a year, weeds around path edges and the bases of trees, bins and other street furniture are sprayed with glyphosate.
“When applied – through a lance which produces droplets directly onto the weeds – it is instantly absorbed and kills the weed quickly. Any brown grass should grow back in the following months.
“This is kept to a minimum and only used because our lawnmowers are unable to cut close enough. It also means we’re not constantly strimming, using hoes or pulling out weeds by hand, allowing us to spend more time maintaining our parks and opens spaces across the Harrogate district.
“Understandably, weeds are favoured by some and are an eyesore to others. So we have to strike a balance to ensure all residents can enjoy the district.
“And we are constantly reviewing, trialling and amending our work practices to ensure we are working towards a sustainable environment.
“We actively encourage many areas to grow naturally and leave several areas from being cut as regularly; the Stray in Harrogate, Jacob Smith Park in Knaresborough and Quarry Moor Nature Reserve in Ripon, to name but a few. Again, some residents favour this approach and some don’t.
“We have also planted thousands of wildflowers, with the help of volunteers. As well as leaving log piles as habitats and vegetation, and adapting our formal bedding areas across the district to include more single, open flowers that are great for pollinators.
“This is a key objective for us and we have a number of schemes to enable the flora and fauna to thrive. We also continue to work in partnership with local community groups to collectively enhance the district’s wildlife and biodiversity.”
A group of Travellers who set up camp on Harrogate’s Stray have now left.
Six caravans and several cars arrived on the section near to Oatlands Drive on Saturday.
It is thought that the Travellers were on their way to Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria, which starts on Thursday.
Harrogate Borough Council, which is the legal protector of the Stray, was due to begin the eviction process today, according to the Stray Defence Association.
But the Travellers are believed to have vacated the parkland yesterday.
Travellers also parked on the old rugby field at Knaresborough three days earlier and remain on site.
Read more:
- Travellers arrive on Harrogate’s Stray
- Council to start moves to evict Travellers on Harrogate Stray tomorrow
A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council confirmed that the travellers in Knaresborough were now subject to a legal process.
The spokesperson said:
Council to start moves to evict Travellers on Harrogate Stray tomorrow“The travellers in Knaresborough are being managed through the legal process and a team will undertake a clear up (if required) once they have gone.”
Harrogate Borough Council looks set to begin legal moves to evict Travellers on the Stray tomorrow.
Six caravans and several cars arrived on the Oatlands section of the Stray yesterday.
Three days earlier Travellers also parked on the old rugby field at Knaresborough.
The council, which is the legal protector of the Stray, has not replied to the Stray Ferret’s request for information about what action it is taking.
But Judy d’Arcy Thompson, chair of the Stray Defence Association, said the council had informed her that is is “aware and prepared to serve papers on Monday if required with a court hearing already scheduled for Thursday. Unfortunately due to the legal process, this is the fastest we can progress the situation.”
It is thought the Travellers are on their way to Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria, which begins on Thursday.
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Ms d’Arcy Thompson said the council had informed her that its street cleaning team was “prepared to check the area and clear any waste left behind”.
She added the council appeared to be doing everything it could to resolve the situation, adding:
“With experience of similar events in the past we appreciate the complexity of the legal process.
“We naturally hope that they respect our Stray and that the minimum of mess and damage is left behind when they depart.”
The Stray Defence Association was founded in 1933 to safeguard the Stray against building and encroachment.
Travellers arrive on Harrogate’s StrayA group of Travellers has set up an encampment on the Stray in Harrogate today.
Six caravans and a car are parked on the section of the Stray just off Oatlands Drive.
They are believed to have arrived this afternoon.
The Stray Ferret spoke to dog walkers on the parkland near to the caravans this afternoon.
They said they walk on the land regularly and hadn’t noticed the vehicles until this afternoon.
It comes days after Travellers also set up camp on the old rugby field in Knaresborough.
The Stray Ferret has asked Harrogate Borough Council, which is the protector of the Stray, whether it is aware of the issue and if it is taking any action, but has yet to receive a response.
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Fears have been raised that work to build the next phase of the Otley Road cycle path in Harrogate will cause permanent damage to mature trees.
A meeting about the cycle path was held last night at Harrogate Grammar School between North Yorkshire County Council officers and local groups, including Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents Association, Zero Carbon Harrogate, The Stray Defence Association and Harrogate District Cycle Action.
The first section between Harlow Moor Road and Arthur’s Avenue was completed in January.
Work on the next phase from Arthur’s Avenue to Beech Grove have been earmarked to begin in autumn.
Yesterday’s two-hour meeting was not open to the media but we spoke today to some of the people that attended.
‘Can’t afford to lose the trees’
Plans for phase one and phase two of the cycle path were first published in 2019.
Officers delivered a presentation on the plans for phase two last night, which remain largely the same as the 2019 proposals.
These show one tree will be felled below Victoria Road and some grass verges down both sides of Otley Road will be tarmacked over to make way for the cycle path, which will be shared with pedestrians and built close to two rows of large trees.
The trees and verges on Otley Road are technically part of Stray land. Last year Harrogate Borough Council agreed a land swap with a section of grass on Wetherby Road so the cycle path could proceed.
Judy d’Arcy Thompson, chair of the Stray Defence Association, called the first section of cycle path on Otley Road, which has been widely criticised for its design, “a dog’s dinner”.
She said the 100-year-old trees on Otley Road were vital for absorbing water during heavy rainfall, adding:
“I’ve sought repeated assurances they will not create any damage to the trees. Those trees are on Stray land. They are protected by the law and they are a huge environmental asset to the town. We can’t afford to lose the trees.”
‘Pure scaremongering’
Malcolm Margolis, a Harrogate District Cycle Action member, said he needed more time to study the plans but any suggestion workers would damage trees on Otley Road was “pure scaremongering”.
He said:
“It is regrettable if a tree has to be lost, if this is unavoidable as part of a high quality cycle path. No doubt it will be replaced with new saplings nearby. We have previously asked North Yorkshire County Council to consider a 20mph speed limit and narrowing the carriageway, which might avoid tree loss.
“The suggestion that more may be lost if workers dig into the roots is pure scaremongering. Similar suggestions were made about phase 1 but the only trees that went were those in the plans, and almost all of those were for changes to Harlow Moor Road, which were purely to benefit drivers, not cyclists or pedestrians.”
Read more:
- Calls to reduce ‘plethora’ of Otley Road cycle path signs
- Next phase of Otley Road cycle path delayed and reviewed
‘Preserve beauty of town’
Otley Road resident Chris Dicken has been an outspoken critic of the scheme since it was first proposed several years ago. He said “there’s no doubt Otley Road will be spoiled” by its next phase.
“It will change the ambience. It’s a very nice tree-lined boulevard.
“Trees have roots that go everywhere. How do you make sure they don’t damage those trees for the future? It won’t show up immediately but it could affect the trees. How do you get around that?”
Michael Schofield, the newly elected Liberal Democrat county councillor for Harlow & St Georges, said the council needed to ensure no trees are damaged:
“The last thing we want is for someone to be doing work and to accidentally dig into the roots. Those trees do take up a lot of water. They help that.
“The trees give Harrogate an identity. It’s one of the reasons people come to visit. We need to preserve the beauty of town.”
Government guidelines
New government guidance on cycle lanes in July 2020 said any new infrastructure should be “high quality, with a strong preference for segregated lanes”.
It warned against councils building routes that require a lot of stopping and starting from cyclists.
But the guidance was introduced after the designs for phase one and phase two were published, so it doe snot apply to these sections.
The Stray Ferret was offered an interview with Melisa Burnham, NYCC highways area manager. But today the offer was retracted.
Instead it issued the following statement from Ms Burnham
“As part of our planning for Phase Two of the Otley Road cycle route we invited a range of stakeholder groups from across Harrogate to contribute their views and ideas on the project.
“They included the Ramblers Association, the Youth Parliament, Civic Society, residents associations, Stray Defence and the Cycle Action group. North Yorkshire councillors who represent the area also attended and the event resulted in positive and constructive discussions between group members and officers responsible for designing the scheme.
“County Council officers, alongside Harrogate Borough Council colleagues, explained the role Otley Road will play in creating a sustainable transport corridor, which will help provide residents with better choices for their travel needs.
“We also took the opportunity to update attendees of Phase One progress and the outstanding remedial work, including resurfacing, signage relocation and lining. This will be complete in June. Advanced notification will be sent to the residents indicating a confirmed start date.
“The design for Phase Two has not changed significantly since the first engagement in 2019 but we wanted to take this opportunity to discuss this again in person with the groups present.
“Key themes which emerged included the need to consider all sustainable transport users (cyclists, walkers and buses) of the routes and a recognition of the competing priorities of all users, the impact on the surrounding area, trees and Stray. We will ensure contractors are aware of the need to protect trees through the use of appropriate working methods.
“Some present raised concerns around communications for the Phase One delivery and they have been taken on board. Work on Phase One took place during the Covid-19 restrictions, which meant at times programmes moved at an unexpected pace.
“We also took the opportunity to share the Phase Three feasibility study, but this is not at a detailed design stage and further consultation will take place as that develops. Issues around the segregation of pedestrians and cyclists, set against the availability of land, have yet to be addressed.
“We hope that this meeting provided a positive start to addressing the communication concerns and a ‘meet the contractors’ event will follow in early autumn, before Phase Two works commence.”