Agenda item

Otley Road Sustainable Transport Measures – West of Harrogate:

The following statement was read out by Rene Dziabas of Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association (HAPARA):

We would like to take this opportunity to express our broad support for this proposal. It is probably one of the few times that one is able to see residents’ comments actually incorporated into such a policy, and we look forward to this package being developed and implemented in a manner that will start to address a number of the problems arising from the huge level of housing development to the west of Harrogate. If we do have concerns with this package, they relate to two wider aspects:

1. The package comes over as being defined by a set amount of money. In this case £565K, with£798K being shown as available. We would have liked other elements to have been costed thereby helping to develop more of a vision towards greater sustainability. We understand that finances are very constrained at present, but we feel that this package represents an opportunity to put additional markers down for the future. Ultimately it should take us towards getting traffic off of the roads and making immediate communities more sustainable.

2. We would have liked stronger statements in relation to public transport. A point that was made atthe workshop in May of this year. We fully understand that public transport is not in the gift of the council since it is run on a commercial basis, but we feel that a greater emphasis is required since it is accepted that one of the keys to reducing car usage is a good public transport proposition. So far much of the discussion around public transport comes over as aspirational, and we have yet to see any ambitious plans to really expand such services.

In no way do we wish our reservations to be taken in a negative manner. We fully recognise that Area 6 have taken the trouble to actively engage with the local community which has been appreciated, and we look forward to future engagements addressing our concerns. But at the end of the day if you don`t ask then you don`t get and we feel that this is an opportunity to put down some community based markers for the future.

The following statement was read out by Mark Codman (Democratic Services) on behalf of David Mitchell, Harrogate Cycle Action:

1)    Otley Road Cycleway

In 2017, NYCC successfully bid for funding for the Otley Road Cycleway, from Prince of Wales roundabout to Cardale Park.

Only a very small, isolated part (Phase 1) of the cycleway has been built, to poor standards. NYC abandoned Phase 2 in 2023, following a consultation which showed majority (56%) support for going ahead with it.

We are disappointed that the council has shown so little commitment to its own cycle scheme.

With thousands of houses planned on Otley Road beyond Harlow Carr, it remains essential to build a joined-up cycle route from the new developments to the town centre. There must not be broken links.

Diverting the funding away from the cycleway is therefore the wrong decision.

2)    20mph zone

We strongly support the proposed 20mph zone.

The funding should not come from raiding the cycling budget.

3)    Increasing capacity for motor vehicles on Otley Road

The largest single item of spending in the revised programme is £200,000 for new traffic lights at the Otley Road/Cold Bath Road junction, specifically to increase capacity for motor vehicles.

This is for unsustainable transport not sustainable transport and should not be funded from the West Harrogate Sustainable Transport package.

4)    Uncontrolled Crossings

As Councillors will know, ‘uncontrolled crossings’ are not really crossings at all – just a bit of tactile paving and a dropped kerb as a suggested place to cross, but with priority to motor vehicles.

Uncontrolled crossings are proposed by NYC at:

•           Western Primary (Cold Bath Road) and

•           Ashville College (Green Lane)

These should be zebra (Western Primary) and parallel (Ashville College) crossings.

5)    Cycle Signage Review

There was a comprehensive cycle signing programme in 2014. The work does not need doing again.

We need safe cycle routes, not more signposts.

£25,000 for a signage review – presumably to be paid to consultants WSP - would be a shocking waste of public money.

6)    Nursery Lane

Nursery Lane has a good, sealed surface, and modal filters so there is no through traffic. If it is currently a footpath it could be made a bridleway, but no infrastructure is needed.

NYC need to invest in a coherent, well-thought-out cycle network, including difficult but much-needed provision on main routes like Otley Road. Instead they are cherry-picking isolated streets or paths which they think will be easy to do and not generate any opposition, but which don’t join up to other routes.

Spending £100,000 on Nursery Lane is not sensible because it would not make a meaningful difference to the cycle network.

[Summary Principle 8 of LTN 1/20 Cycle Infrastructure Design for information]

“8) Cycle infrastructure must join together, or join other facilities together by taking a holistic, connected network approach which recognises the importance of nodes, links, and areas that are good for cycling.

Routes should be planned holistically as part of a network. Isolated stretches of provision, even if it is good are of little value. Developing a connected network is more that lines on a map. It is about taking local people on a journey with you in order to understand who currently cycles, where they go and why they go there and, more importantly, who does not currently cycle and why.”

The following statement was read out by Mark Codman (Democratic Services) on behalf of John Holder:

In the hope of improving matters, I do think Highways Dept seem to prefer to alter roads but do not to listen to the obvious--there are too many traffic lights in Harrogate which appear at every junction, particularly on Otley Road.

Suggestions to take some out of action on a pilot basis are not even considered

Motorists can well negotiate junctions onto another road we are not at all inexperienced and I would simply say it is really a waste of money on truly expensive schemes.

There are many instances also, of wrongly placed mid-road road stands next bus stops and large grates which slow traffic also mini roundabouts which are unnecessarily slowing traffic, but this seems not to on the list.

Considered – The Report of the Corporate Director of Environment to update Members and seek their views on the proposed package of measures to take forward as part of the Otley Road Sustainable Transport Measures for West of Harrogate.

Melisa Burnham (Area Manager - Highways and Transportation) detailed the background to the report. On 10 February 2023 a decision was made at the former NYCC BES Executive Members meeting to allocate the remaining funds from the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) to develop a package of ‘Sustainable Transport Measures’ for the West of Harrogate in line with the original NPIF bid objectives. These objectives recognised the need to provide a series of safety improvements and congestion relief along the Otley Road corridor and the delivery of sustainable transport enhancements.

NPIF funding had become available in 2018, to date the funding had been used for improvements to the Harlow Moor Road junction and to construct the Otley Road Cycle path, these projects formed Phase 1 of the Sustainable Transport Measures package.

The report outlined what was planned for Phase 2,which had originally been to complete the Otley Road cycle route between Cold Bath Road and Beech Grove. Following public consultation and stakeholder engagement it was agreed not to proceed and look at improving road safety for cyclists elsewhere. Following feedback it was decided that roads such as Queens Road and Victoria Road were to be considered for improvement. The overall area for review was outlined in Appendix A to the report. The report gave details of the community engagement in section 6 and full feedback collated from community engagement events was contained in Appendix B. The report detailed the consideration of Additional Active Travel and Road Safety Projects in Harrogate and concluded with the proposed package of measures and the next steps to be undertaken.

-        Councillor Warneken expressed concern that these measures designed to improve congestion could increase the problem elsewhere and he requested that the Council look at improving crossing outside schools, this could include installation of ‘tiger’ type crossings

-        Councillor Schofield suggested a correction to the report in that the cycle way did not connect to Cardale Park and instead terminated outside of West Lea Avenue causing dangerous conditions for cyclists between Plantation Road and Cardale Park. He asked if some extra signage could be erected to make clear where there was and was not a cycle path as to allay the fears of elderly residents

A vote was taken on the recommendations as set out in the report, Members voted unanimously for the recommendations.

Resolved – 

That Members consider this update and note its content.