First stirrings of new campaign in Harrogate against remaining proposals in £11m Gateway scheme for town centre

The £11 million Harrogate Gateway scheme, set to be funded from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF), aims to boost access to Harrogate’s rail and bus stations and deliver improvements to nearby public spaces.

The threat of a judicial review triggered by business interests in Harrogate last year against the proposals North Yorkshire Council has already seen the scheme substantially scaled back with most elements of cycling and pedestrianisation removed from the Gateway plans.

Now, in a pattern of opposition to the construction of new cycle lanes in Harrogate from residents groups and some business owners which has only grown stronger the longer the saga has rumbled on, there are murmurings of hostility to much of the remaining aspects of the Harrogate Gateway scheme.

In particular, there is opposition to proposals for a new cycle lane on one side of Station Parade.

Writing to the Harrogate Advertiser, Mrs Beryl E. Dunsby, a former organiser of Harrogate Christmas Market and business partner of Brian L Dunsby, former chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, labelled the idea as "exceedingly dangerous".

Mrs Dunsby said: "I have studied the latest plans for a “scaled down” cycle track on Station Parade in sheer amazement.

"The latest proposition has a cycle track on the same side of the road as the bus and rail stations, which looks to be only wide enough for a single cyclist.

"Yet in other parts of the town one sees ‘speedy’ cyclists desperate to overtake others, and sometimes parents wishing to ride outside an inexperienced junior one to protect them.

"Currently our buses have to skilfully negotiate through the complexity of electric vehicle charging points, followed by the normal pedestrian and vehicle flow from a car park and then the station.

"Now, it seems, they will be obliged to look out for (and probably give way to) cyclists of varying ability, who in turn have to share a track that is dangerously narrow for them.

"I would seriously support any motion that recommends the withdrawal of such plans to install this exceedingly dangerous cycleway.

"Otherwise it could become the cause of serious bus timetable delays, as well as accidents.

"It is not only inappropriate but also excessively expensive.”

As part of the statutory process, North Yorkshire Council is currently consulting on the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) required for the scheme on Station Parade.

The council has also published new visuals to represent the revised scheme, which was agreed by the council’s executive last November.

Speaking last month, Coun Keane Duncan, executive member for highways and transport, said: "We have listened to public views and worked extensively on a cross-party basis with local councillors to revise the Gateway plan.

“The original scheme has been reviewed following this feedback, with Station Parade remaining open to two lanes of traffic and with no pedestrianisation of James Street."

The debate over Harrogate’s transport system began in 2019 when the results of North Yorkshire County Council’s Harrogate Congestion Study consultation – which received 15,000 responses – showed a clear majority of respondents in favour of investing in measures to promote sustainable travel, boost the use of public transport, and discourage the use of motor cars.