Climate change impact assessment
The purpose of this assessment is to help us understand the likely impacts of our decisions on the environment of North Yorkshire and on our aspiration to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2030, or as close to that date as possible. The intention is to mitigate negative effects and identify projects which will have positive effects.
This document should be completed in consultation with the supporting guidance. The final document will be published as part of the decision making process and should be written in Plain English.
If you have any additional queries which are not covered by the guidance please email climatechange@northyorks.gov.uk
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Title of proposal |
Transforming Cities fund |
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Brief description of proposal |
Implementation of highways and landscaping works in Harrogate Town to encourage modal shift to active travel (walking/cycling) and public transport, while also delivering improved public realm in the vicinity. |
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Directorate |
Environment |
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Service area |
Major Projects |
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Lead officer |
Richard Binks |
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Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the impact assessment |
Matt Roberts, Alex Richards |
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Date impact assessment started |
Oct 2021 |
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Options appraisal Were any other options considered in trying to achieve the aim of this project? If so, please give brief details and explain why alternative options were not progressed.
A full options appraisal was carried out for the project and described in the Outline Business Case which gained approval from host promoting body West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) in June 2021. This is a large document, available on request.
The optioneering process pursued is described in detail in the Option Assessment Report (OAR) within the OBC. Critical Success Factors and Multi-Criteria Analysis undertaken to develop the short list of options are established. A strategic review of the short-listed options has been undertaken to further refine the scheme options considering the latest LTN1/20 guidance. The preferred scheme presented at FBC stage has undergone significant refinement since the initial SOC submission. The preferred scheme is intended to deliver maximum benefits to the people of Harrogate, while retaining the core TCF station gateway focus and aligning to key stakeholder and public interests.
The revised scheme design has been developed so that it will still strongly aligning to the programme and scheme objectives/budget.
In line with the scheme’s strategic scope, the majority of scheme benefits are related to health and journey ambience benefits for cyclists and pedestrians. The scheme will generate some disbenefits for car users in terms of increased journey times as a result of prioritising pedestrians’ buses and cyclists’ movements at a number of local junctions in Harrogate.
Reflecting on the results, the core scenario demonstrates a positive BCR’s.
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What impact will this proposal have on council budgets? Will it be cost neutral, have increased cost or reduce costs?
The project has been allocated circa £11m in baseline Grant Funding from the Transforming Cities fund (TCF), administered regionally by WYCA; a further £1m has been allocated by NYC, £2m of YNYCA Local transport Grant and £0.5m by YNYCA bringing total project budget to circa £14.3m.
The grant funding is capped, so any over costs will be the responsibility of NYC to fund.
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How will this proposal impact on the environment?
N.B. There may be short term negative impact and longer term positive impact. Please include all potential impacts over the lifetime of a project and provide an explanation. |
Positive impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant) |
No impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant) |
Negative impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant) |
Explain why will it have this effect and over what timescale?
Where possible/relevant please include: · Changes over and above business as usual · Evidence or measurement of effect · Figures for CO2e · Links to relevant documents |
Explain how you plan to mitigate any negative impacts.
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Explain how you plan to improve any positive outcomes as far as possible. |
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Minimise greenhouse gas emissions e.g. reducing emissions from travel, increasing energy efficiencies etc.
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Emissions from travel
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X |
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The whole-life carbon impact of the scheme is (+)1,044 tCO2e over the 60-year appraisal period which represents a net disbenefit of carbon emissions. User emissions account for a small proportion of the total, at approximately 241 tCO2 over the appraisal period. The emissions impact is mostly associated with the capital carbon emissions from the manufacture of materials, transport to site, construction activities and maintenance of the proposed scheme once in operation. In addition, the scheme also causes changes in general traffic movements (vehicle re-routing, changes in speed and more stop-start movements) which increase end-user emissions. In a low carbon scenario (CERP), a higher adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) reduces the carbon savings attributed to modal shift. However, an increased preference for active travel can result in overall reductions in emissions. When evaluated in conjunction with the wider portfolio of TCF schemes, there is the potential for additional modal-shift toward sustainable travel options.
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New cycle infrastructure and improved bus journey times through the provision or dedicated lanes and revised signalling.
Despite assessments predicting a potential increase due to congestion, the council is seeking to mitigate this with better co-ordinated signalling. The impact of these upgrades is unknown at the time of writing but are expected to be significant.
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Adopt best practice and liaise with bodies such as Active Travel England.
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Emissions from construction |
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X |
An early contractor partnership has been established with key social value and environmental considerations applied to tender quality bid in respect materials / construction methodology / plant and local supply chains. The total emission from construction is negative. However, it should be noted that negative carbon impact would be realised with any proposal to rejuvenate the area. |
Initially negative impacts are to be mitigated through longer term modal shift. |
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Emissions from running of buildings |
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na |
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Other |
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Minimise waste: Reduce, reuse, recycle and compost e.g. reducing use of single use plastic |
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na |
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Reduce water consumption |
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na |
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Minimise pollution (including air, land, water, light and noise)
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X |
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The social uptake of cycling/walking opportunity availed by the new infrastructure is offset by slightly increased vehicle travel times through the town centre due to reallocation of road space; in the medium to long term it is anticipated as model switch gathers momentum positive air quality benefits may be realised depending on level of modal shift and effectiveness of signal upgrades. |
Road space reallocation, for cycle lanes will be supplemented by introducing new smart traffic signal technology at junctions to maximise efficiencies |
Combine the infrastructure works with promotional campaigns to encourage increased cycling / walking and bus use. |
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Ensure resilience to the effects of climate change e.g. reducing flood risk, mitigating effects of drier, hotter summers |
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na |
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Enhance conservation and wildlife
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X |
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Proposals remove three and plant six new trees and introduce 500 plants of varying species. |
NA |
NA |
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Safeguard the distinctive characteristics, features and special qualities of North Yorkshire’s landscape
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na |
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Other (please state below)
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X |
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The project improves the Steet scene in Harrogate eastern quarter with a new town square opposite rail station with high quality materials and soft landscaping. |
Adopt benchmark urban design |
Emphasis upon high quality urban realm |
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Are there any recognised good practice environmental standards in relation to this proposal? If so, please detail how this proposal meets those standards. |
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The primary highway infrastructure standard being applied is LTN/120 which introduces new benchmark design to cycle travel infrastructure. |
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Summary Summarise the findings of your impact assessment, including impacts, the 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 Harrogate TCF Package is aimed at encouraging investment in the towns, supporting aspirations for economic growth by making it a more attractive place to live, work and visit. In turn, this will stimulate growth and increase the resilience of the local economy by seeking to address the key issues associated with a rapidly growing and ageing population and a highly skilled/ educated resident population with current high levels of cross-boundary commuting and less sustainable travel patterns.
Despite the scheme having a net negative carbon impact (primarily due to the capital/infrastructure emissions from the scheme) it will deliver sustainable travel accessibility and infrastructure improvements to respond to existing demands on the local transport network which include congestion and journey time unreliability, which adversely impact upon Harrogate’s economic performance. There is an opportunity to improve sustainable transport accessibility beyond the site area to reduce these demands and unlock development/growth. By improving the aesthetics of the Rail station area in Harrogate through public realm and townscape enhancements, combined with delivering multi-modal accessibility and connectivity improvements, the proposals will help to deliver ‘healthy streets’ in the town centre, and support growth and development within the town.
The proposed scheme will establish Harrogate rail station at the heart of the town providing strong links and accessibility enhancements between the town centre, gateway and new developments, acting as a central sustainable travel ‘hub’. |
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Sign off section This climate change impact assessment was completed by:
Authorised by relevant Assistant Director (signature): Barrie Mason
Date: 12/09/2025 |