The Transport Talk column with Don MacKenzie: Rail improvement work is now complete

Additional track is laid west of Cattal Station as part of the NYCC improvement scheme.

Working over three weekends, rail engineers completed the investment scheme earlier this month.

The project added an additional length of dual track west of Cattal Station, installed new points – which allows a doubling of train speeds through the area from 20mph to 40mph – and introduced improved signalling.

Andrew Jones MP, who has given his strong support to this scheme at every stage of its development, joined LEP delegates, Network Rail staff, Cllr Andrew Waller of City of York and me at Cattal Station to view the finished work.

The section of line between Knaresborough and Poppleton is still mainly single-track but the improvements introduced by this scheme now allow the train operating company, Northern, to double their timetabled schedules next year to two trains per hour in each direction.

At the same time as the rail line was closed at weekends for the Cattal scheme, Network Rail engineers also improved the track layout at Harrogate Station.

The second piece of positive news concerns the award earlier this month of the contract for Phase 4 of the Superfast North Yorkshire project.

The contract for Phase 4, valued at £14.5m, has been awarded to Quickline Communications and will be based on wireless technology.

This latest phased investment in the county’s digital infrastructure will result in 97% of all domestic and business premises having access to high quality broadband.

The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated how vital good broadband is for homes and businesses.

It provides means of communication, support for education, access to medical services, and caters for so many other essential aspects of our everyday lives.

Earlier this month, I chaired a meeting of the Harrogate Transport Improvement Programme Steering Group, which is considering and recommending actions resulting from the Harrogate Congestion study consultation in 2019.

This public engagement involved 100,000 residents in Harrogate, Knaresborough and the surrounding area, and attracted an unprecedented level of response. 15,500 views were expressed, which will now influence decisions to be taken to combat congestion. Boosting active travel, giving additional support to public transport, park and ride schemes and new investment in roads for the Killinghall area will all be considered. Reports for elected members will go to the two local Area Constituency Committees in January.

Pavement Parking by vehicles is often a selfish practice, which ignores the needs of pedestrians, often causes obstruction and blocks access. It also causes problems and hazards for wheelchair users and persons with impaired sight and mobility.

In its response to the current Department for Transport consultation, North Yorkshire County Council has given its full support to measures which will make it easier for highways authorities with civil parking enforcement powers to take action against obstruction of the pavement by parked vehicles.