New: Car 'ban' in Harrogate neighbourhood as streets are closed to non-residential through traffic

A much-anticipated scheme to encourage more walking and cycling in Harrogate is to begin later this month.
Beech Grove in Harrogate is set for new traffic restrictions as the county council  introduces a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) experimental order.Beech Grove in Harrogate is set for new traffic restrictions as the county council  introduces a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) experimental order.
Beech Grove in Harrogate is set for new traffic restrictions as the county council introduces a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) experimental order.

North Yorkshire County Council highways team is to impose experimental traffic restrictions on Beech Grove and Lancaster Road.

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Non-residential through traffic will be prevented from entering these roads to create quieter streets where residents feel safer when walking and cycling.

The roads will continue to be accessible to residents, their visitors, deliveries, emergency vehicles, refuse collections and taxi/private hire vehicles.

The county council is implementing a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) experimental order. It allows barriers such as bollards and planters to stop through traffic.

Alongside this scheme a designated ‘Ambulances only’ parking bay will be installed on Trinity Road at the junction with Otley Road, thereby making available an alternative location to the place currently used by ambulances.

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Work to install the signage, bollards and planters will take three days from Monday, February 15, weather permitting.

County Coun Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Access, said: “We are committed to improving facilities for active travel and the Beech Grove scheme, alongside other similar active travel projects underway in Harrogate, will do much to encourage active travel, to ease congestion and to improve air quality.

"We look forward to receiving the views of residents on the Beech Grove measures during the course of this experimental order. Those views will be taken into account as part of an ongoing review of the scheme."

As this is an experimental scheme the public has a six-month period to share their views.

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The county council will then consider whether to make it permanent, extend the experiment or set it aside.

Coun Richard Cooper, member for Harrogate Central, welcomes the active travel scheme.

He said: “I know that some local residents are sceptical about these new sustainable transport measures. I understand that and I respect that view while not agreeing with it.

"The fact of the matter is that we cannot pretend that traffic congestion, poor air quality, a diminishing environment and climate change can be solved without radical changes to our transport infrastructure and our personal travel habits.”

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Any comments should be emailed to [email protected]. The deadline is August 14, 2021.

The scheme was originally linked to the Emergency Active Travel Fund (ETAF) but is to be funded by North Yorkshire County Council.

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