North Yorkshire County Council has begun moves to permanently ban through traffic on Bogs Lane in Harrogate to make the area safer for pedestrians.

Bogs Lane, which becomes Kingsley Road shortly after Henshaws specialist college, is often used as a rat run for traffic trying to avoid the busy A59 Knaresborough Road.

The proposal — which is dependent on a landowner — has divided opinion.

Some say it will ease congestion and make walkers and cyclists safer in an area where more than 600 homes are being built; others say the knock-on effect would make traffic on Knaresborough Road “unbearable”.

North Yorkshire County Council’s area highways manager Melisa Burnham said:

“Kingsley Road has been closed recently to facilitate works on a housing development, and at various times over the last few years for roadworks and utility works. During the closures, the A59 Knaresborough Road has been the diversion for those wanting to use Bogs Lane.

“There is a long-term aspiration to close Bogs Lane to through traffic which would create a safe space for pedestrians. This is dependent on securing land from a third-party landowner. As part of this work, a Traffic Regulation Order has been published to seek feedback from the public about the proposal.”

The current Bogs Lane diversion

Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley on North Yorkshire County Council, said he supported the move:

“It would do away with the rat run once and for all and make the area much safer for pedestrians and cyclists, particularly schoolchildren who are amongst the main users of the road as pedestrians and cyclists at peak times.

“The closure also allows a safe and accessible link with the Harrogate greenway route from Starbeck.

“Maintaining pedestrian and cycle access during the current Redrow works at the bottom of Bogs Lane has already proved popular, judging by my email inbox.”

‘Driving congestion on to Knaresborough Road”

But Cathy Grimshaw, who lives on Rowan Close, off Bogs Lane, said the closure would exacerbate congestion on Knaresborough Road that has been “unbearable” since the temporary road closure began.

Ms Grimshaw added:

“By closing this through road they’re affecting anyone that uses Knaresborough Road as they’re driving the congestion onto the main road.

“I thought the new estates were on the basis that a pedestrian path would be built over the bridge so is it to avoid this expense?”

She added:

“The safety of pedestrians is imperative and the solution to that would be to build the path, not to close the road and drive 600 houses worth of vehicles onto Knaresborough Road which is already heavily congested.

“They should have thought about the infrastructure before approving hundreds of houses in one area. The new houses in Knaresborough have redesigned roads and built roundabouts to accommodate.”

Another resident, Julie Mooney, also raised concerns:

“Having lived on Kingsley Road and then at the other side of this closure I personally feel it’s a bad solution.

“It’s a difficult situation but one wholly of the council’s making in granting permission for so many new homes in this corridor without planning access.

“So many residents live one side of the railway but go to work or school on the other. It defies common sense to force all this traffic including that from all the new developments onto Knaresborough Road. It’s already at a virtual standstill at rush hour.”

Resident Mark Leng said the move could have benefits by ending the rat run but added “to avoid more congestion they need to halt all future works”.