Good morning and welcome to our new traffic and travel service, designed to keep the Harrogate district moving in a morning.

It’s Connor on the travel desk from 6.30am. Send in any updates you have by sending an email to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

We will keep across the roads and rail lines. If traffic is moving well or it’s at a standstill then we will let you know with our updates every 15 minutes.

Thanks for your interest in our live blog. Have a lovely day and keep on top of traffic and travel right here on the Stray Ferret.

Full update – 9am

Thanks for getting involved this morning. I am now heading over to the news desk for the rest of the day but will be back bright and early tomorrow morning.

Roadworks have been the story of the day. They have been causing delays around the Harrogate district, with a new site being set up this morning at the Leeds Road Roundabout in Harrogate.

• Northern Powergrid is setting up a four-way traffic light system on the Leeds Road Roundabout, which will be in place from today until February 26.
• Skipton Road, Harrogate – Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout – Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall – High Street in Knaresborough.
• The trains are running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations. Harrogate to Leeds services are on time.

Full update – 8.45am

As more people start to get onto the roads the traffic is slowing around the Harrogate district. Traffic is slow around construction sites:

• There are new roadworks being set up on the Leeds Road Roundabout this morning. Northern Powergrid is setting up a four-way traffic light system, which will be in place from today until February 26.
• Skipton Road, Harrogate – Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout – Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall – High Street in Knaresborough.
• The trains are running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations. Harrogate to Leeds services are on time.

Got any updates to share? Send an email to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Full update – 8.30am

• The roads look clear, except for congestion caused by construction works.
• Watch out on Skipton Road, Harrogate in particular. It is part-closed due to gas line repairs.
• Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout as well as Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall and the High Street in Knaresborough also have ongoing construction works.
• The trains are running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations that we can see for the Harrogate district.

Full update – 8.15am

As more people start to get onto the roads the traffic is slowing around the Harrogate district. Traffic is slow around construction sites:

• Skipton Road, Harrogate – Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout – Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall – High Street in Knaresborough.
• The trains are running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations. Harrogate to Leeds services are on time.

Full update – 8am

Traffic is moving well around the Harrogate district, except for around construction sites:

• Skipton Road, Harrogate – Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout – Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall. All have construction ongoing.
• The trains still appear to be running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations that we can see for the Harrogate district. All Harrogate to Leeds services are on time.

Full update – 7.45am

As more people start to get onto the roads the traffic is slowing around the Harrogate district. Traffic is sluggish on Wetherby Road around construction sites:

• Skipton Road, Harrogate – Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout – Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall. All have construction ongoing.
• The trains still appear to be running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations that we can see for the Harrogate district. All Harrogate to Leeds services are on time.

Traffic is slow around construction sites. Photo: Inrix

Full update – 7.30am

As more people start to get onto the roads the traffic is slowing around the Harrogate district. Knaresborough Road into Harrogate town centre is slow all the way from Knaresborough. Traffic is also sluggish around construction sites:

• Skipton Road, Harrogate – Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout – Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall. All have construction ongoing.
• The trains still appear to be running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations that we can see for the Harrogate district. All Harrogate to Leeds services are on time.

Full update – 7.15am

• The roads look clear, except for congestion caused by construction works.
• Watch out on Skipton Road, Harrogate in particular. It is part-closed due to gas line repairs.
• Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout as well as Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall and the High Street in Knaresborough also have ongoing construction works.
• The trains are running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations that we can see for the Harrogate district.

Full update – 7am

• The roads appear fairly clear this morning, except for congestion caused by construction works. Watch out for:
• Skipton Road, Harrogate. Traffic is particularly difficult there.
• Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout.
• Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall.
• The High Street in Knaresborough.
• The trains are running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations that we can see for the Harrogate district.

Full update – 6.45am

• The roads are still looking clear this morning, except for congestion caused by construction works around Harrogate’s town centre.
• Watch out on Skipton Road, Harrogate. Traffic is already building up there from both directions.
• Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout as well as Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall and the High Street in Knaresborough all have ongoing construction works.
• The trains are running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations that we can see for the Harrogate district.

Full update – 6.30am

• The roads are looking clear this morning, except for congestion caused by construction works around Harrogate’s town centre.
• Watch out on Skipton Road, Harrogate. Traffic is already building up there, particularly on the southbound side of the road.
• There are also construction works on Knaresborough Road, near to the Empress Roundabout as well as on Leeds Road, near to Crimple Hall and on the High Street in Knaresborough. Those works are all likely to cause delays.
• The trains are running well this morning. There are currently no cancellations that we can see for the Harrogate district.

Western Primary School is already seeing the effects of its new speed signs on Cold Bath Road.

The school’s headteacher, Mr Tim Broad, believes that many drivers are simply unaware that the speed limit is 20mph rather than 30mph.

Mr Broad spent this morning on duty and saw many slowing down when they were prompted by the signs.

One is just outside the school gates and another is a little further down the hill opposite the junction with Freemans Court.

Staff at the school became particularly concerned in September when some people were taking risks crossing the road away from the busy pelican crossing.

As a result, the school feared that a child could be killed crossing the road so lobbied North Yorkshire County Council for action.

Read more:

• Snow forces extended closure of Whinney Lane
• Western Primary School urges council to tackle road fears

The council agreed to cover the £7,000 cost of the signs in early December which went up this week.

Mr Tim Broad told the Stray Ferret:

“I honestly believe that if you were to stop drivers at random on Cold Bath Road that the majority would believe it is a 30mph road.

“There is a lot of traffic that comes down this road. It not only creates a problem for pupils crossing the road but there’s also a pollution problem.

“The signs are working already. When they light up and people see them they slow down.”

A radar in the signs detect vehicles travelling above the 20mph speed limit from at least 50 metres away and this triggers a ‘slow down’ message.

Harrogate’s business groups have raised concerns over plans to close off streets in Harrogate to create a “low traffic neighbourhood”.

North Yorkshire County Council revealed that it will close Beech Grove to through traffic in less than two weeks’ time.

The experimental closure will be in place for six months from February 15 and, depending on the results of a public consultation, it could become permanent.

Residents, refuse collections and emergency services will still have access to the area. But motorists will no longer be able to get directly from Otley Road to West Park via Beech Grove.

Read more:

• Harrogate street set to be closed to traffic
• Senior councillors defend closure of Beech Grove

Now officials at the chamber of commerce and business improvement district have weighed in on the debate, arguing the struggling high street could be negatively affected by the plans.

Sandra Doherty, the chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said:

“The solution is not, and never will be, the random closing of one road or another. A fully thought out, cohesive plan, which must involve all stakeholders should be undertaken.

“We must understand that no one single group will have the perfect solution. There will have to be some give and take.”

She added:

“I am not convinced that the Government’s view of car free towns surrounded by cycle lanes and pavements is the solution to the decline of the high street.

“Now we have all got used to shopping online, towns will have to provide a more experiential offering. Banning cars or discouraging them just won’t help.”

The proposed area for the Low Traffic Neighbourhood on Beech Grove, including the planters on the junction with Lancaster Road.

Sara Ferguson, chair of Harrogate BID, added:

“We need to know what else North Yorkshire Council is planning for the town centre.

“In its letter to Beech Grove and Lancaster Road residents, the council says this initiative is part of an overall ‘package of improvements’ but fails to reveal any more details.

“If its wider strategy is to reduce traffic in the town centre, then we need to know.

“We would like to think any future plans would include the addition of a large number of electric charging points. It would encourage those with electric vehicles to visit the town and help to reduce CO2 emissions.”

Ms Ferguson also said, if any free parking is to be lost, the BID would like to see Harrogate Borough and North Yorkshire County councils work together to reduce the costs in multi-storey car parks, which she said were under-used.

Woodfield Community Primary School in Harrogate has been awarded £28,500 to improve road safety.

Speed limits either side of the school will be reviewed, the crossing, beacons and barriers will be upgraded and other traffic calming measures introduced.

Jo Marwood, headteacher of Woodfield Community Primary School, welcomed the news.

She said:

“This is great news for the pupils, families and the wider community of Woodfield Community Primary School.

“Many of our families walk to school and have welcomed the news that the grant will help make Woodfield Road a safer place for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.”

North Yorkshire Police, Crime and Fire Commissioner’s AJ1 Project Road Safety Fund has awarded £20,000 towards the scheme.

The other £8,500 will come from county councillor Paul Haslam’s locality budget for local projects.

Work is expected to begin early next year.

Read more:

• Could cars be banned outside primary schools in Harrogate?

• Western Primary School urges council to tackle road fears

Primary school road safety has been a major issue in the Harrogate district recently.

In September, Tim Broad, headteacher of Western Primary School, said some people were taking risks crossing the busy Cold Bath Road at pick-up and drop-off times to avoid crowding at the nearby pelican crossing.

During the same month Sarah Bassitt, headteacher of Killinghall Church of England Primary School called for urgent speed measures in Killinghall before a child is killed or seriously injured.

There is a national project gaining momentum called School Streets, which bans vehicles from outside school gates during pick-up and drop-off times.

North Yorkshire County Council has not said it will introduce School Streets but its Open Harrogate project, which encourages active travel, confirmed on Twitter the possibility is being explored.

The £19,000 reconstruction and repair of the church wall at St Andrew’s Kirkby Malzeard will move a step closer today.

A 10-metre section of wall collapsed onto Church Street on February 19, causing the closure of the principal route between Kirkby Malzeard and Masham.

A diversion has been in place for more than eight months.

Planning permission is required for reconstruction of the collapsed section and repair of a further 30-metre length of the wall.

Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) has responsibility for the structure bordering the graveyard of the 12th century church, which was registered as a Grade I Listed Building in March 1967.

Read more:

• Support for Kirkby Malzeard pub campaign
• Kirkby Malzeard clock strikes again

At a planning committee meeting today councillors will be asked to approve an application for reconstruction and repair of the stone wall.

Approval by members of the committee would be subject to conditions and if supported, final consent will be deferred to the executive officer for development management and building control.

HBC had initially hoped to have the wall reconstructed and repaired and the carriageway reopened to through traffic by the end of June.

However, timescales had to be reviewed because of the impact of the covid-19 pandemic.

St Andrew’s Church

Before work can proceed, further discussions need to be completed with Historic England, which has raised concerns about the proposed method of reconstructing the wall.

In a letter to HBC, the heritage watchdog, said:

“The church complex, including the churchyard and wall is considered to have exceptional heritage significance which derives from its architectural styles, legible plan-form, good surviving historical fabric and its continued focal point for rural community life.”

A report to councillors, says:

“Negotiations are ongoing with regards to the technical details, but the scheme is considered to be acceptable in principle.

“The principle of rebuilding the wall is accepted and whilst any stabilisation works will lead to ‘less than substantial harm’ to the structure it is considered that subject to agreeing a suitable method of construction and stabilisation, the public benefits of rebuilding the wall outweigh this harm.”

Roads running around the four quarters of Ripon’s ancient Market Square have been branded a ‘disgrace’ and ‘not fit for purpose.’

The problem lies in block paving, which replaced a tarmac surface that previously surrounded the square.

Traffic, including heavy goods vehicles and Transdev’s double deck 36 bus service, have to use the circulatory route.

A patched-up section of Market Place East

Weight of traffic, which is increasing as new housing schemes bring more vehicles into the city centre, is adding to the problem, as the blocks are regularly coming out of place or being damaged.

Read more:

• Ripon councillors say report is ‘flawed’
• Ripon wears its poppies with pride
• Santa’s sleigh saved from Ripon scrapheap
• Lights fantastic for Ripon festivities

With Market Place East – now resembling a patchwork quilt, as  sections of tarmac fill gaps where the surface has sunk – Ripon City Council is calling for an end to the Ripon’s bumpy ride and a return of tarmac, which councillors considered a more suitable and serviceable surface.

Councillors Stuart Martin and Mike Chambers, who are Ripon’s representatives on North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) agreed that the time is right to call for the highway authority to act.

Cllr Martin, said:

“I have raised the matter with the highways department. The Market Place East and West roads are a disgrace and not fit for purpose.”

At Ripon City Council’s  virtual full council meeting, members voted unanimously to call on NYCC to replace the block paving with tarmac.

Council leader, Councillor Andrew Williams, said:

“When the work is done, we can ask for the contractors to work in the evening, to minimise disruption to the city centre.”

To avoid disruption to Christmas trade, it was agreed that tarmac patches on affected areas, would be an acceptable temporary solution.

Six weeks of roadworks began this morning on the Leeds Road roundabout, leaving the area gridlocked throughout the day.

The works will be in place until August 28 to allow Northern Powergrid to carry out cable overlay works.

Two of the roundabout’s six exits on Langcliffe Avenue and Park Drive have been closed and traffic lights are in place on the others. This left many commuters stuck in traffic or having to take long diversions.

The roadworks are set to stay along Leeds Road for six weeks.

Similar works are taking place along Skipton Road over a 12-week period. Those works are in order for Northern Gas Networks to replace the old metal pipes running along the road. Richard White, business operations lead for Northern Gas Networks, said:

“This investment will ensure residents and businesses in Harrogate continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply for decades to come.

“We appreciate that no one likes roadworks, but we will be doing everything possible to complete this work as quickly as possible, while maintaining safe working practices.”

Read more:

• Whinney Lane will be closed for seven months to allow for two construction sites to be worked on.
• A ‘green’ car club has launched in Harrogate where you can hire low-emission vehicles by the hour.

The works come following several quieter months on the roads as many people worked from home. Following the Prime Minister’s announcements suggesting that people can return to work, the next six weeks are likely to involve much longer commutes.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council for a comment on the works, but had not received a response at the time of publication.