Proposals for a £20 million Killinghall bypass have been criticised by environmental group Zero Carbon Harrogate.
North Yorkshire County Council has put forward plans to build a bypass, with a likely route from the Old Spring Well pub on the A59 to the roundabout in Ripley that goes to Pateley Bridge and Ripon.
It would be one of range of measures, including a park and ride bus scheme and enhanced cycling routes, to ease congestion in the Harrogate district.
But Rod Beardshall, transport lead at ZCH, told the Stray Ferret awareness of climate change had increased locally and building a major new road would “send out the wrong message”.
Mr Beardshall described the decision to refuse Harrogate Spring Water’s expansion plans into Rotary Wood as a “tipping point” for the town, where environmental concerns outweighed other factors.
Rod Beardshall, from Zero Carbon Harrogate
He called a bypass “yesterday’s solution” to tackling congestion:
“It would take years to build and as the climate situation moves on the idea would end up being more anachronistic.”
Killinghall has been bedevilled by traffic for decades and the problem has worsened recently as new housing developments have swelled the size of the village.
Read more:
Mr Beardshall highlighted a 2017 study by countryside charity CPRE that suggests new roads actually increase traffic rather than ease congestion.
He described roads “a very clumsy tool to address congestion” and called on the council to focus on better bus services and walking and cycling access for Killinghall. He even suggested charging motorists to drive through the village:
“If you build a road, it’s there forever.
“By thinking about a bypass you take the eye off the ball for more imaginative solutions.”
Last month, councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, said the bypass would ease congestion in the “fastest-growing village in the county”.
He said:
Appeal for patience as council refills grit bins“We have a duty to respond to the many residents and local members who feel that they want to take some of this traffic out of their village.
“That includes 44-tonne lorries, which could not be replaced by a person walking or cycling. That is why we firmly believe that certainly further consideration of a bypass to take this traffic out of the village is needed.”
North Yorkshire County Council has today appealed for patience as it refills grit bins following the recent prolonged period of snow and ice.
The Stray Ferret received several complaints from residents over the weekend, who said untreated pavements in the Harrogate district were too treacherous for pedestrians, forcing people to walk on roads.
Gritting is the county council’s responsibility and besides employing gritters it maintains more than 3,000 self-help grit bins in North Yorkshire.
People can use the bins to grit minor roads and pavements but not private drives.
Stocks are replenished midwinter and in response to requests.
The long post-Christmas cold snap has led to higher demand than usual and the council’s highways department has urged residents to use salt sparingly.
Read more:
County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said:
“I would like to reassure residents that we are currently refilling grit bins and heaps as quickly as we can. This process is a huge task as we have responsibility for more than 3,100 grit bins and 4,700 grit heaps.
“Please bear in mind that those involved in replenishing the bins and heaps are the same people that drive the gritters and deal with other emergencies on the highway network.
“Whilst every effort is made to replenish the grit as soon as possible we do encounter unavoidable delays, which can occur during prolonged or repeated periods of very cold weather.”
Wet weather is forecast for the next few days but the forecast is to turn colder by Friday, with further icy spells.