Renewed calls for cars to be banned outside Harrogate schools and cycle routes built for £1million bid

North Yorkshire County Council is asking the public to help it win the government money for walking and cycling improvements - and people have until Friday to mark on a map what changes they want to see.

It is part of the Department for Transport’s active travel fund to which the council only secured half of the £266,000 it was being offered in a first round of bidding.

Kevin Douglas, chairman of Harrogate District Cycle Action, previously expressed his disappointment over the bid and said the campaign group has now put forward a number of proposals for the next round.

These include a cycle lane between Knaresborough and Ripon, routes on Oatlands Drive and Victoria Avenue, and a ban on cars outside some schools to ease congestion.

The council has said it is being "realistic" about any proposals because if successful the cash will spread across the county.

Mr Douglas said: "We also realise we have got to be realistic because this is only £1million. But we see Harrogate as quite a key priority because of the congestion that it suffers from compared to some of the more rural areas.

"Even if we get the full amount, it won't be enough to create a whole new cycle network, but there are some small, significant changes which can be made to make a real difference.

"From the discussions we've had with the council it seems they have realised they have got to be much more involved with people.

"We are a little bit more hopeful that they can now come up with the right schemes, but they have to be done well."

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The council must submit its bid by 7 August, so groups have only until the end of this week to give their views.

The Department for Transport has said any successful schemes must be delivered by the end of March 2021.

The council has already confirmed plans for a pop-up cycle lane on Beech Grove in Harrogate as part of the scheme.

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Coun Don Mackenzie, the council's executive member for access, said: “The schemes from across North Yorkshire that we are inviting walking and cycling groups to prioritise includes schemes suggested by cycling groups, residents and councillors alongside those identified through our local cycling and walking infrastructure plans.

"These plans have been created to ensure we are ready to bid for funding as opportunities arise.”

To make a suggestion go to www.northyorks.gov.uk/socialdistancingandactivetravel

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter