Video - Action happening on Stray as fencing comes down today in Harrogate

The articulated lorries have arrived and the fencing on the West Park Stray at the VIP area of the Fan Zone during the controversial UCI cycling championships is being dismantled.

When the Stray at West Park was finally handed back by Yorkshire 2019, he organisers of the UCI Road World Championships, nearly a month ago, the council told the Harrogate Advertiser that it intended to remove the Heras fencing from where the VIP area.

The wet weather delayed the operation but the dismantling of the fencing has now began.

Although the footpaths round the whole of the West Park Stray have now been reopened, most of the footpaths which dissect and ho across the Stray remained closed - with the exception of the area near the VIP area near Montpellier Hill.

Exciting 100th anniversary day for Bettys in Harrogate todayHarrogate Borough Council has been working with an agronomy specialist for weeks to develop the plan for reinstatement of the Stray.

But fears remain such is the scale of the mess on the Stray, the renovation project will not be completed for six months, such is the damage caused by the Fan Zone and the wettest autumn for decades.

Looking to the future health of the parkland, the council is also considering additional drainage work to improve the Stray and protect it from getting so water-logged.

In terms of the finances required to make right the Stray, a recent council report said the estimated unbudgeted costs of repairing the Stray could be partly funded by anticipated savings against budgeted costs of the event and from the District Improvement Fund.

However, this still leaves an estimated cost of at least £21,000 which the council will have to find funding for.

The report also statef that the figure was based on a “best-estimate of the costs of work at this stage”.

It adds the council is continuing to pursue an insurance payout from Yorkshire 2019 to help repair the Stray.

A spokesperson at Harrogate Borough Council said: “Other Heras fencing will stay in place as there are ongoing health and safety concerns. We have a duty to ensure no one hurts themselves.

“All damaged verges along West Park, Beech Grove and York Place have been repaired.

“Bedding areas along West Park Stray have also been restored.”