Equality impact assessment (EIA) form: evidencing paying due regard to protected characteristics

(Form updated October 2023)

Harrogate Transforming Cities Fund Proposals: Traffic Regulation Orders 

If you would like this information in another language or format such as Braille, large print or audio, please contact the Communications Unit on 01609 53 2013 or email communications@northyorks.gov.uk.

Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) are public documents.  EIAs accompanying reports going to County Councillors for decisions are published with the committee papers on our website and are available in hard copy at the relevant meeting.  To help people to find completed EIAs we also publish them in the Equality and Diversity section of our website.  This will help people to see for themselves how we have paid due regard in order to meet statutory requirements. 

Name of Directorate and Service Area	Environment – Highways & Infrastructure
Lead Officer and contact details	Matt.roberts@northyorks.gov.uk Economic & Regeneration Project Manager
Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the EIA	Alex Richards – TCF Programme Manager
How will you pay due regard? e.g. working group, individual officer	Project Team
When did the due regard process start?	Project initiation – September 2019

Section 1. Please describe briefly what this EIA is about. (e.g. are you starting a new service, changing how you do something, stopping doing something?)

A previous EIA looked at the impact of proposed new transport infrastructure under the Transforming Cities Fund in Skipton, Selby & Harrogate and was then updated to take into account the third public consultation for the Harrogate TCF scheme.

This latest update considers any potential impacts in relation to consultation on the proposed Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) amendments for the TCF scheme in Harrogate.

Section 2. Why is this being proposed? What are the aims? What does the authority hope to achieve by it? (e.g. to save money, meet increased demand, do things in a better way.)

The Transforming Cities fund is an initiative funded by Department for Transport aimed at driving economic growth through sustainable and inclusive access to employment and education opportunities. The aim is to deliver an improved Station Gateway in Harrogate (and also Skipton and Selby) with enhanced access for pedestrians & cyclists, balanced with the needs of car users to encourage more people to use public transport and to access public transport by sustainable travel modes. Safety, accessibility and security for all are also considerations.

Section 3. What will change? What will be different for customers and/or staff?

The proposals seek to make changes to how people access the rail/bus stations and the surrounding streets with the introduction of a cycle lane, widening of footways, new one-way traffic flows, and improved public spaces. Users will experience easier, safer and quicker routes to travel by sustainable means. This will encourage more people to travel in this way and open up more opportunities to education, training and employment. The area around the bus and rail stations will encourage people to stay in town longer, contributing to improved spend in the town centre.

The TRO amendments would formalise the proposed alterations to current road regulations in Harrogate town centre, namely:

Station Parade North

· A one-way southbound traffic restriction on Station Parade North.

· A southbound bus lane on the east side of Station Parade North. 

· The prohibition of turning left from Commercial Street and Cheltenham Parade on to Station Parade.

· The prohibition of a right turn from the Network Rail land to the rear of the bus station on to Station Parade.

· Parking and waiting prohibitions with exemptions – including new provision for disabled badge holders.

· Revocations of previous TROs.

Station Parade Central

· Parking and waiting prohibitions with exemptions – including new provision for disabled badge holders.

· The prohibition of loading/unloading between 7:30am to 9:30am and 4pm to 6pm.

· Revocations of prior TROs.

Station Parade South

· A prescribed route from Station Bridge in a south-westbound direction at its junction with Station Parade.

Section 4. Involvement and consultation (What involvement and consultation has been done regarding the proposal and what are the results? What consultation will be needed and how will it be done?)

The TRO proposals have been subject of consultation and public advertisement in accordance with the Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996. The enabling Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) were advertised for public comment in the local press, published on North Yorkshire Council’s website and by means of a legal notice placed on the relevant street in accordance with the requirements of the Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations. The TRO was advertised for public comment in August/September 2025. Ahead of this consultation the Harrogate Disability Forum was directly consulted on the TROs. 25 responses were received specific to the proposed TRO.

However, the proposals  have been developed using around 4,500 responses received across three consultation stages in addition to face-to-face drop-in days, business meetings/updates, stakeholder focus groups and online question & answer sessions. Reports on all three consultations can be found here: https://www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/harrogate

Section 5. What impact will this proposal have on council budgets? Will it be cost neutral, have increased cost or reduce costs? The scheme is largely funded by DfT. However, the council will be contributing £1.05 million. It is anticipated that the maintenance impact will be modest as much of the infrastructure replaces older infrastructure.
Section 6. How will this proposal affect people with protected characteristics?	No impact	Make things better	Make things worse	Why will it have this effect? Provide evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc.
Age		X		Harrogate an older than average age profiles, with an average age of 41.2 years old. 23.4% of the district population is aged 65+ compared to 22.4% nationally (Census). The district’s population is ageing rapidly; with a forecast 49% increase in people (17,800) aged over 65 by 2035. However, it has proportionately more children and teenagers than North Yorkshire generally. New infrastructure has been designed to comply with current best practice standards and legislation facilitating accessibility by all. Whilst some feedback has suggested a concern that those in higher age categories may rely on cars to travel, the proposals retain access and parking. The amount of blue badge parking is being maintained. Whilst there is a reduction in other parking Harrogate town centre is recognised to have more than sufficient parking within or close to the project area.
Disability		X	X	16.1% identified as being disabled (Census 2021), below the England average of 17.3%. Similarly more residents than average described their health as "very good" or "good", both slight. Harrogate is the least deprived part of North Yorkshire and has the highest life expectancy in the county, but has some areas of disadvantage leading to worse health outcomes and there is an 11 year gap in life expectancy between wards (JSNA 2019). During consultation and engagement it was pointed that the lack of public transport for some people meant a greater reliance on private cars or taxis. The scheme improves the environment for people with disabilities via: •New areas of dropped kerbs with tactiles •Speed tables introduced around the crossing points, reducing vehicle speed approaches •Additional crossing points on the northern section of Station Parade •Less bollards in the square •Crossing distances reduced where possible •Waiting times reduced at crossing signals. •Tonal differences in primary paving areas with the Yorkstone flags and Granite Kerbs •Footway widths mostly around 2m in line with the Inclusive mobility docs. Concerns were previously raised from an opticians and members of the public about the number, location and usability of disabled parking spaces during the TRO consultation. Blue badge spaces are to be removed opposite the bus station. However, there will be two new bays on northern section and three new bays in the car park opposite to mitigate this impact. The Harrogate Disability Forum were satisfied with this proposal. Overall numbers remain the same in the area – and are arguably improved in terms of distribution and ease of parking. On-street bays (including on the southern part of Station Parade) have space behind for rear loading accessible vehicles. A Road Safety Audit (RSA) highlighted a potential issue regarding a lack of kerb colour contrast on parking pays being an issue for people with visual impairments. This was rejected by Officers and the designers. The kerb face will provide a defined edge at the back of the parking/loading bay. This will deter errant parking with vehicles straddling the bay and footway which would be dangerous for all pedestrians. In addition, the upstand helps partially sighted people identify defined parts of the footway when using a cane or guide dog, indicating where vehicles may be present. The yorkstone paving provides a clear visual contrast to the granite kerbing. Additionally, there is a noticeable visual difference between the yorkstone setts in the parking areas and the flags used for the footways. The RSA also highlighted that ‘signalled crossings did not incorporating tactile cones on all push buttons. Traffic signals throughout the scheme include push buttons on both upstream and downstream sides of crossings. Tactile cones are only provided on the right-hand side of the crossings, where the tactile paving tails are located. Some visually impaired pedestrians familiar with the area may locate the crossing without using the tails and may prefer to cross from the left side of the crossing. Without the tactile cone, this may result in them having insufficient information to determine when to cross and could result in them being struck by vehicles’. This was also rejected as per inclusive mobility guidance and TSRGD (2016): "the pedestrian demand unit should be installed between the area where pedestrians are waiting and the nearest approaching traffic. This is to encourage people to observe approaching vehicles. This usually means that the unit is installed to the right of pedestrians (facing on-coming traffic). This is compatible with the training from Guide dogs for the blind to guide a person from the left" to the push button and tactile cone. Following the RSA, a break is to be introduced to any overlapping tactile paving to avoid any confusion for people with visual impairments. Engagement with disability groups will continue throughout the scheme’s development and after completion to understand impacts.
Sex	X			Consultation feedback highlighted a need to ensure people feel safe in the area, especially in the evening/nighttime and in the One Arch area. This feedback was raised especially in relation to those people with protected characteristics, especially lone women, who might feel more vulnerable in public spaces. A Designing Out Crime approach has been taken. The design has considered sight lines and lighting to ensure that people feel safe.
Race	X			New infrastructure will be designed to comply with current best practice standards and legislation facilitating accessibility by all.
Gender reassignment	X			New infrastructure will be designed to comply with current best practice standards and legislation facilitating accessibility by all in improving the perceptions of safety for transgender, gender queer, and non-binary people and communities.
Sexual orientation	X			New infrastructure will be designed to comply with current best practice standards and legislation facilitating accessibility by all.
Religion or belief	X			New infrastructure will be designed to comply with current best practice standards and legislation facilitating accessibility by all. There are a number of places of worship close to the project area. Improving access generally is likely to improve access for those using these buildings.
Pregnancy or maternity	X			New infrastructure will be designed to comply with current best practice standards and legislation facilitating accessibility by all. Wider pavements will provide more space for those walking through the area, whilst public realm enhancements will provide more seating enabling those who need to stop and rest more easily in this area.
Marriage or civil partnership	X			New infrastructure will be designed to comply with current best practice standards and legislation facilitating accessibility by all.

Section 7. How will this proposal affect people who…	No impact	Make things better	Make things worse	Why will it have this effect? Provide evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc.
..live in a rural area?	X			The proposals focus on town centres, whilst the towns and the stations service wider rural hinterlands where car travel may be necessary the proposals will not remove the ability to access the town centres and stations by car or park in the near vicinity. If the aims of the project of encouraging shifts to sustainable transport are met, then access for those from more rural areas may improve. The project is unlikely to affect those in rural areas as it will not result in change to public transport provision. It may however, provide a more sustainable opportunity for those at last mile journeys from arrival at the bus or rail station.
…have a low income?		X		Provision of new infrastructure enabling easier lower cost cycling and walking access is anticipated to benefit those on lower incomes who are less likely to access to a car, by providing better access to more opportunities to education, training and employment.
…are carers (unpaid family or friend)?	X			Carers who travel by motor vehicle are anticipated to experience the same impacts to journeys as the rest of the population. It may be that some find that active and sustainable travel modes become easier as a result of the changes.
….. are from the Armed Forces Community	X			No impact identified

Section 8. Geographic impact – Please detail where the impact will be (please tick all that apply)
North Yorkshire wide
Craven
Hambleton
Harrogate	X
Richmondshire
Ryedale
Scarborough
Selby
If you have ticked one or more areas, will specific town(s)/village(s) be particularly impacted? If so, please specify below.
Harrogate Town

Section 9. Will the proposal affect anyone more because of a combination of protected characteristics? (e.g. older women or young gay men) State what you think the effect may be and why, providing evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc.

The proposals will not affect those with a combination of protected characteristics more.

Section 10. Next steps to address the anticipated impact. Select one of the following options and explain why this has been chosen. (Remember: we have an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people can access services and work for us)	Tick option chosen
1. No adverse impact - no major change needed to the proposal. There is no potential for discrimination or adverse impact identified.
2. Adverse impact - adjust the proposal - The EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. We will change our proposal to reduce or remove these adverse impacts, or we will achieve our aim in another way which will not make things worse for people.	X
3. Adverse impact - continue the proposal - The EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. We cannot change our proposal to reduce or remove these adverse impacts, nor can we achieve our aim in another way which will not make things worse for people. (There must be compelling reasons for continuing with proposals which will have the most adverse impacts. Get advice from Legal Services)
4. Actual or potential unlawful discrimination - stop and remove the proposal – The EIA identifies actual or potential unlawful discrimination. It must be stopped.
Explanation of why option has been chosen. (Include any advice given by Legal Services.) The TROs propose the removal of some disabled parking spaces and this adverse impact was highlighted in the consultation. However this impact will be mitigated by the introduction of new disabled parking spaces close by and a better distribution of spaces in the site area. The decision to complete a full EIA at this stage was based on feedback as part of the consultation process. This highlighted some areas that need careful consideration at full design stage to ensure that they do not disadvantage those people with mobility related characteristics. As the design process has progressed feedback has resulted in regular review of the designs and amendments to take concerns into account.

Section 11. If the proposal is to be implemented how will you find out how it is really affecting people? (How will you monitor and review the changes?)

A monitoring and evaluation plan is being developed for the wider scheme that will seek to collect a range of qualitative and quantitative data. Direct consultation with Harrogate Disability Forum and visual impairment organisations will take place post-scheme.

Section 12. Action plan. List any actions you need to take which have been identified in this EIA, including post implementation review to find out how the outcomes have been achieved in practice and what impacts there have actually been on people with protected characteristics.
Action	Lead	By when	Progress	Monitoring arrangements
Review parking changes as part of preliminary design ensuring equivalent provision is available	Project Manager	TRO consultation	Complete	Monthly project team meetings
Ensure any changed taxi parking is equally or more accessible then current if this is required	Project Manager	TRO consultation	Complete	Monthly project team meetings
Review proposals to ensure safe segregation of users	Project manager	Final design	Complete	Monthly project team meetings
Engage further with disability groups to maximise opportunities and address concerns	Project manager	End of initial post-completion monitoring	Ongoing	Quarterly

Section 13. Summary Summarise the findings of your EIA, including impacts, recommendation in relation to addressing impacts, including any legal advice, and next steps. This summary should be used as part of the report to the decision maker.

The proposals are at a detailed design stage and have completed three rounds of public consultation in addition to the statutory TRO consultation. The intent of the scheme is to improve accessibility to and within the town centres and the design philosophy has been to comply with current legislation, relevant standards and best practice and to seek to incorporate views received. The action plan developed will be maintained and evolve through the next design phase and subsequent stakeholder engagement and ensure that concerns can be addressed.

The provision of quality streets and public realm, with more walking and cycling is likely to help promote a sense of safety and place more "eyes on the streets", contributing to deterring crime and reducing fear of crime. This is more likely to benefit people who are more at risk of crime, typically women, young people, older people and those with disabilities, but also LGBTQI+ people and people of different ethnic and/or belief who can be targets of hate crime.

Section 14. Sign off section

This full EIA was completed by:

Name: Matt Roberts

Job title: Economic and Regeneration Project Manager

Directorate: Highways and Infrastructure

Signature: M Roberts

Completion date: 09/10/2025

Authorised by relevant Assistant Director (signature): Barrie Mason

Date: 06/11/2025