‘Save the Station Gateway’: Cycling campaigner issues plea to save £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway project

It follows a report that has been published ahead of a meeting of the Conservative-run executive on Tuesday which says the council may now focus on the most popular aspects of the scheme in an attempt to get it back on track.

However, the report features no mention of active travel or cycling and the council could still decide to abandon the project altogether.

The original plans included a single-lane Station Parade to build cycle lanes, part-pedestrianising James Street and overhauling Station Square.

The council paused work on the project last month due to a legal challenge from Hornbeam Park Developments.

Mr Margolis spoke on behalf of the Harrogate District Cycle Action campaign group at a meeting of the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee in Harrogate today.

He said: “We are asking you for the good of our town to save Harrogate Station Gateway.

"Along with many others, we think the plans are very beneficial - some of you think the same, others don’t.

"You agree with some key elements but not others such as making Station Parade one-way or part-pedestrianising James Street.”

Mr Margolis said scrapping the scheme or removing the active travel elements risked damaging the council’s reputation with government “for years to come” when it came to winning active travel funding.

He referred to other failed bids including for cycle lanes on Victoria Avenue and Knaresborough Road, the scrapping of cycle lanes on Oatlands Drive and Otley Road as well as the decision to discontinue the Beech Grove Low-Traffic Neighbourhood.

Mr Margolis warned the council would be doing a “massive disservice” to Harrogate’s residents if the Station Gateway funding is not used.

The campaigner also read out a letter he received from Conservative MP Andrew Jones in June 2023 when he described the project a “big test” for North Yorkshire Council to show that it can deliver projects.

Mr Jones said the scheme had been the subject of “often inaccurate and vociferous criticism”.

However, after the judicial review was submitted by Hornbeam Park Developments in August, Mr Jones called the Station Gateway a “timed-out dead scheme”.

North Yorkshire Council officer Mark Codman read out a statement in response to Mr Margolis.

He said: “The committee notes the statement from Harrogate District Cycle Action.

“The project is being considered by executive on September 19 and ACC members will be able to consider the next steps as appropriate at the executive meeting.”