Green campaigners hail new step towards a new 20mph speed limit in Harrogate and Knaresborough

Supporters of 20s Plenty have been heartened by a recent move by county councillors representing more than 100,000 people in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area.

Voting on a motion proposed by Arnold Warneken, Green Party county councillor for Ouseburn, the decided by nine votes to two to support a phase one roll-out of 20mph in the area for drivers “where a benefit has been identified”.

Malcolm Margolis, the Harrogate spokesperson for 20s Plenty for North Yorkshire, hailed the move as a real step forward on the path to a lower speed limit,

“The strong vote for 20mph by Harrogate constituency councillors, together with support from 128 North Yorkshire parishes, shows that the adoption of 20s Plenty throughout the county is getting closer,” said Mr Margolis.

"The sooner it happens the more lives will be saved and casualties avoided.”

Earlier this year, the county council’s executive approved a policy to introduce 20mph speed limits on a “targeted, evidence-based approach”.

Malcolm Margolis, who is also a prominent voice in Harrogate District Cycle Action group, said lower speeds would create a situation where it would be safer for people to walk and cycle would bring benefits for drivers as well as residents.

20s Plenty for North Yorkshire is part of national not-for-profit organisation 20s Plenty which was formed in 2007 to campaign for 20mph default speed limits in Britain to reduce road casualties and create nicer, safer communities.

One of 600 similar local groups, there have been successes in recent years for 20s Plenty.

The likes of Edinburgh, Bristol, Portsmouth and Oxford have already introduced 20mph default limits and reported reductions in road accidents since doing so.

The next crucial date for the Harrogate and Knaresborough area is likely to take place at a meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s Transport, Environment, Overview scrutiny committee on January 19, 2023.

Green campaigners now hope councillors will consider appropriate amendments to the existing policy to enable a 20mph pilot scheme to be introduced in the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency.