Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice (including the text of the question/statement) to Edward Maxwell of Democratic Services (contact details below) by midday on Monday 23 March. Each speaker should limit themselves to 3 minutes on any item. Members of the public who have given notice will be invited to speak:
· At this point in the meeting if their questions/statements relate to matters which are not otherwise on the Agenda (subject to an overall time limit of 30 minutes).
· When the relevant Agenda item is being considered if they wish to speak on a matter which is on the Agenda for this meeting.
If you are
exercising your right to speak at this meeting, but do not wish to be recorded,
please inform the Chair who will instruct anyone who may be taking a recording
to cease while you speak.
Minutes:
Three public statements had been submitted:
· By Gia Margolis, in relation to Minute 38.
· By Dr Jenny Marks, Ruth Lily and Hazel Peacock, in relation to Minute 38.
· By Christopher Dunn, in relation to Minutes 38 and 39.
Statement submitted by Gia Margolis
In 2028 Cycling UK will celebrate the 150th anniversary of its creation here in Harrogate where on August 5th 1878, the Bicycle Touring Club was founded by Stanley Cotterell. This is commemorated by a plaque on the corner of Crescent Road opposite the George Inn. Now called Cycling UK with nearly 70,000 members, it claims to be the oldest transport organisation in the world.
The 150th anniversary provides Harrogate and North Yorkshire with a unique opportunity to celebrate this historic event.
I would like to request that a working party is formed to prepare for this anniversary. The goal would be to deliver some new or improved cycle infrastructure. A working party needs to start now to plan for a cycling project or projects that could be completed in time for the anniversary in August 2028. I will be contacting The Mayor’s Office, Harrogate Town Council, Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, formerly Sustrans, and Cycling UK to help with this venture.
The following response was provided by the Chair of the Area Committee:
Thank you for raising this exciting opportunity to celebrate cycling in the area. We don’t have the power to set up a working group along the lines you suggest, but we would be happy to participate in any joint meetings with the town councils and any other interested parties. Officers are very happy to support commemorative events, and we are excited to hear more about this opportunity. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
Statement submitted by Dr Jenny Marks, Ruth Lily and
Hazel Peacock
We have been campaigning for improved road safety in the Pannal Ash and Oatlands area since 2020, supported by headteachers and residents, 1800 of whom signed our petitions calling for action. We have spoken repeatedly at this committee about our community’s concern for the safety of our children and other vulnerable road users. The validity of that concern was brought into stark relief when two teenagers were seriously injured on Yew Tree Lane in 2023.
In September 2023, NYC announced its intention to install 20mph speed limits with supporting traffic calming on Yew Tree Lane, Pannal Ash Road, Green Lane, Beckwith Road and Arthur’s Avenue, as part of its South and West Harrogate 20mph Zone.
We are pleased to read in today’s 20mph update that NYC intends to install sinusoidal cushions on Arthur’s Avenue, Beech Grove, and Oatlands Drive. We note, however, that no timescale is given for this. Sinusoidal cushions have recently been successfully trialled in York. NYC’s update states that if ‘initial installations are successful and the contractors are able to construct the profile consistently, and maintenance is not problematic, then consideration will be given to their use more widely’. It seems odd that there should be any doubt about a contractor’s ability to install something which has recently successfully installed 25-miles away, and where maintenance is already underway. Whilst new to North Yorkshire, sinusoidal cushions have been employed elsewhere around the country since 1995, so should not be an ‘unknown’.
Today’s update states that where sinusoidal cushions are not proposed, a mix of other traffic calming measures are to be used, with designs ‘still being finalised’ and consultation plans to be sent to stakeholders ‘in due course’.
In summer 2024, NYC consulted upon speed cushions for Pannal Ash Road and Green Lane, with 94.3% of respondents from properties directly fronting Green Lane and 62.7% from Pannal Ash Road supporting the proposals and similarly high backing from neighbouring streets. Despite their importance to thousands of children, no action has been taken on these roads. We have repeatedly been told that ‘officers continue to work on this’ and measures for Pannal Ash Road and Green Lane are being ‘redesigned’. Why is the safety of our children on these roads not being prioritized? Surely, a two-year period cannot be considered a reasonable timeframe for redesigning traffic calming on two roads.
Pannal Ash Road, Yew Tree Lane and Green Lane, along with Beckwith Road and Cold Bath Road, are the cornerstone of the 20-mph zone approved by NYC in 2023. Without infrastructure on these roads, the zone is not complete and the area around the five schools and sports centres is as dangerous as before.
We make this plea: Can NYC implement the full South and West Harrogate 20mph Zone in 2026, putting the safety of the thousands of children and pedestrians first?
Our question is: What traffic calming measures do NYC propose for Pannal Ash Road, Green Lane, Yew Tree Lane, Beckwith Road, and Cold Bath Road and when will they, and a 20-mph limit, be consulted upon and installed?
The following response was provided by Highways:
Proposed traffic calming designs being reviewed by officers include both vertical and horizontal calming features alongside roundels and associated signage, but this is site specific on what’s required compared to mean speeds in addition to site constraints. It’s aimed to consult on proposals by June.
We have resource and funding available to deliver this 2026/2027 financial year, but consultation outcomes (such as objections), legal and contractor resource could extend this programme.
In a supplementary question, the questioners asked:
I feel the prioritisation for this scheme hasn’t been particularly strong – we’ve been waiting for progress for three years – although it’s encouraging to hear it may be consulted on in June. I also wanted to ask about the signage on existing 20mph roads. I drove from Ake & Humphris Wine Shop up the road and along the road next to Harrogate Grammar School, and I only saw two or three roundels. I understand there is a protocol for how frequently roundels should appear. What is the approved distance between 20mph roundels?
The following response was provided by Highways:
That depends on whether you mean roundels painted on the road. Those larger road markings are placed at every entrance to a 20mph zone. The repeater signs, however, are set at fixed intervals – they may be on lampposts or on standalone posts. My understanding is that they must appear roughly every 100 metres within the zone.
Statement submitted by Christopher Dunn
Re. King Edwin Park, Oakdale ward/ Duchy division.
Planning consent 14/02737/EIAMAJ, Section 106 13.03.2015. 600 dwellings. (42-page document)!
I am an autistic eighty-year-old male retired Teacher/Engineer, I write as a citizen of Harrogate only.
I note that despite approximately 400 completed dwellings and many trigger points reached, much monies and provisions have yet to materialise and or completed.
I am particularly concerned re Education/recreation provision.
eg:
1. Education/school & 1.4 hectare prepared site £ 2,039,400
2. Bus Provision (not 7 day and irregular) but complete £ 650,000
3. Harlow Moor Rd. /Otley Rd traffic signals £ 350,000
4. A61 Parliament street/Ripon Rd.traffic signals £ 662,490
5. Otley Rd/ Ripon Rd. traffic signals £ 567,000
6. Killinghall Moor Playing fields £ 307, 598
7. Travel Plan £ 5,000
Total £4,348,179
Other not costed commitments
8. Retail premises
9. Pedestrian/cycleway (x2) west/east to Killinghall moor
10. Community hall
This area did have a BUS only provision to/from West Harrogate/Jennyfields but was removed by NYC Planners under Section 73, so the 600 house site is now totally land locked, and much inconvenience is now caused to all residents especially school aged children who are subject to convoluted car or pedestrian travel, in order to:
Commute; Shop; Commune/socialise/worship; Vote; Education; Recreation; Play. Pennypot lane is particularly difficult as an access route.
This area is primarily in Killinghall Parish and is/has been proposed for much development and the pressure on schools and safe pedestrian/cycle travel is and will be enormous.
I urge the Committee Council and Officers to carefully study again 'School' up date and 'Travel' update’ reports (agenda items 5,6), also be aware that much Planning and Section 106 commitments are sadly lacking.
Please note also that a Boundary commission review suggests that this area is absorbed into Harrogate town and cites the bus connection route through Orchid way as it makes it an ideal connection to/from Harrogate proper. The Bus route is now cancelled so this proposed absorption is now unacceptable.
Response provided by the Area Committee:
Thank you for your question. The Area Committee has requested updates from Development Management, Highways, Parks and Countryside, and School Improvement teams. However, unfortunately it has not been possible to provide a complete response to all the points you have raised in your statement in time for this morning’s meeting.
However, a written response from all the above services will be provided to you in the next 14 days and will be circulated to members of the committee.
In response comments regarding the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s review of North Yorkshire’s boundaries, this has now concluded following the Stage 3 consultation, which closed on 14 October 2025. North Yorkshire Council submitted evidence to the review, and the Commission’s final report, published on 14 January 2026, is available to view on their website. Unfortunately, all stages of public consultation have now ended, and the final recommendations will apply for the May 2027 elections.