‘Limited funding’ for traffic calming on Cold Bath Road, says council

North Yorkshire County Council officials have said there is “limited funding available” to implement traffic calming measures on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road.

A call was made to introduce speed cameras or CCTV to the road following a three-car collision in the early hours of Sunday morning.

One resident said that the road becomes a racetrack after 10.30pm and called on the authorities to do more to tackle the issue.

However, an email to the resident from the county council, seen by the Stray Ferret, says that measures for the road would be costly and there is limited funding.

Paul Ryan, project engineer at the county council, said:

“Our collision data shows that in the last three years there have been four collisions resulting in personal injury along Cold Bath Road — two slight and two serious. One slight involved a low speed shunt when in queuing traffic, the other slight involved a pedestrian stepping off a controlled crossing when green light was for vehicular traffic.

“The first serious involved a motorist pulling over towards the kerb edge to avoid oncoming traffic and has collided with a pedestrian, the second serious involved a motorists driving away from a parking space and colliding with a passing cyclist.

“It is therefore unlikely that further traffic calming measures would have reduced the likelihood of these types of collisions and personal injury.”

Mr Ryan added:

“The situation on Cold Bath Road will continue to be monitored, alongside all other roads across the county to highlight where the limited funding available for improvement schemes is targeted towards.”

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North Yorkshire Police continues to investigate the Cold Bath Road crash and has appealed for witnesses and CCTV footage.

It involved a Volkswagen Golf heading towards Otley Road which crashed into two parked cars at the junction with West Cliffe Road at 3.10am on Sunday morning, leaving one passenger unconscious. No other injuries were reported.

No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

A police statement added:

“It is only by sheer luck that the collision didn’t result in a fatality.

“As part of the investigation we would like to appeal to local residents and businesses to check their CCTV systems and ring doorbells around the time of the collision as it may have captured the vehicle, the collision, and anyone making off from the scene shortly afterwards.

“Additionally, if anyone has any other information about the incident which may assist our enquiries please contact us quoting reference 12220038835.”

Stop drivers using Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road ‘as a racetrack’, says resident

A three-car crash on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road was “always going to happen” because drivers use the street as a racetrack, according to a local resident.

A Volkswagen Golf heading towards Otley Road crashed into two parked cars at the junction with West Cliffe Road at 3.10am on Sunday morning, leaving one passenger unconscious. No other injuries were reported.

One local resident contacted the Stray Ferret to say the road “becomes a racetrack” after 10.30pm and called on the authorities to do more to tackle the issue.

He claimed those involved bragged they were doing more than 100mph and said it was time for speed cameras or traffic calming measures.

‘No one does anything about it’

The road includes a 20mph stretch, which was implemented outside Western Primary School in February last year.

But a resident in the Cold Bath Road area, who asked not to be named, said this was not observed despite the speed indicator being shown throughout the day.

They said they had written to North Yorkshire County Council to call for further measures as drivers “never slow down”. The crash on Sunday morning prompted them to write to the authority again.

“They do it all the time.

“After 10.30pm, it becomes a racetrack and no one does anything about it. It [the crash] was always going to happen.

“Just put speed cameras up. I’m a driver and when I see a speed camera, then I adjust my speed.”

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North Yorkshire Police continues to investigate the Cold Bath Road crash and has appealed for witnesses and CCTV footage.

No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

A police statement added:

“It is only by sheer luck that the collision didn’t result in a fatality.

“As part of the investigation we would like to appeal to local residents and businesses to check their CCTV systems and ring doorbells around the time of the collision as it may have captured the vehicle, the collision, and anyone making off from the scene shortly afterwards.

“Additionally, if anyone has any other information about the incident which may assist our enquiries please contact us quoting reference 12220038835.”

Traffic and Travel Alert: Delays on B6164 at Knaresborough following crash

Emergency services are dealing with a crash on the B6164 at Knaresborough.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was dealing with a crash involving two cars on the junction with the A658.

North Yorkshire Police and Yorkshire Ambulance Service are also at the scene. Drivers are urged to avoid the area.

#Knaresborough & #Harrogate crews dealing with a 2 vehicle road traffic collision at the junction of #B6164 & #A658 at Knaresborough. Hydraulic cutting gear in use. @NYorksPolice & @YorksAmbulance also on scene.

— North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (@NorthYorksFire) February 23, 2022

The Stray Ferret has changed the way it offers Traffic and Travel alerts.

We will now notify you instantly through app notifications and flash tweets when there is an urgent alert. This could include heavy traffic, dangerous weather and long delays or cancellations of public transport.

The alerts are sponsored by The HACS Group.

School bus involved in minor collision in Harrogate district

A school bus was involved in a minor collision this morning in the Harrogate district.

The incident involving students from Harrogate Grammar School happened on the A658 Harrogate Road, close to Leathley Farm Shop and Cafe at about 8am.

No children were hurt.

The incident led to rush hour delays from Pool-in-Wharfedale to Huby.

A Harrogate Grammar School spokeswoman confirmed three children were on the bus at the time and that none sustained injuries.

The spokeswoman described the incident as a “mild shunt” and said the bus company acted promptly to get the children safely to school.

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The Stray Ferret understands the crash involved one other vehicle.

North Yorkshire Police said there were no reports of injuries but declined to give further details.

Traffic and Travel Alert: Reports of major accident near Huby

There are reports of a major accident near Huby this morning on the A658 Harrogate Road.

The crash happened close to the Leathley Farm Shop and Cafe around 8am this morning with delays from Poole in Wharfedale to Huby.

It is unclear at this time how many vehicles were involved at this time. We have asked North Yorkshire Police for a response.

The Stray Ferret has changed the way it offers Traffic and Travel alerts.

We will now notify you instantly through app notifications and flash tweets when there is an urgent alert. This could include heavy traffic, dangerous weather and long delays or cancellations of public transport.

The alerts are sponsored by The HACS Group.

Inquest hears tributes to bikers killed in head-on collision in Masham

The families of two bikers who died in a head-on collision near Masham have paid tributes at a joint inquest into their deaths, which concluded today.

Paramedics certified Martin Ragg, who was from the Ripon area, and Michael ‘Mick’ Lynas, who was from the Thirsk area, dead at the scene of the collision on the A1608 on Sunday, April 25 in 2021.

Coroner Oliver Longstaff submitted written evidence and questioned a collision investigator from North Yorkshire Police at the inquest.

The inquest heard how the crash happened at a blind summit close to the Brymor Ice Cream parlour and that Mr Ragg had been attempting to overtake a car before he moved one and a half metres into the oncoming lane before the crash.

Both men died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. Mr Longstaff said:

“The point of an inquest is not to apportion blame but to determine the facts which lead up to the deaths.

“On the balance of probabilities the collision happened in the northbound carriageway and Mr Ragg was on the wrong side of the road.

“What strikes me is, from listening to what both families have said, that these two men would have got on quite well and become good friends if they had ever met.

“I hope it is some comfort to know that they both died instantly while doing something they loved.”

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Tina Lynas, who was the wife of Mick Lynas, said:

“Mick was passionate about motorcycles — in fact, much to the shock of my mum, he picked me up for our first date on a motorcycle. He was a great rider and never a risk taker.

“He collected motorcycles and at the time of his passing he had 13 in his possession. On the day of the crash he went out with his daughter Eve on a separate bike to meet his friends in Masham. He was then going to see family in Middlesbrough.

“I was just getting to leave to meet him there when I took a call from Eve. Mick’s passing has left a huge hole in our hearts. He was a loving man, full of life. He was community driven and would do anything for anyone.”

‘Lives shattered in an instant’

Jayne Ragg, who was the wife of Martin Ragg, said:

“Our lives were shattered in an instant. Martin often left early for his trips and did not want to wake me up when he headed out. So I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him.

“He had a fantastic sense of humour and he was a larger-than-life character who loved his family with all his heart.

“We have raised more than £7,000 for Brake, a road safety charity, and Yorkshire Air Ambulance. We also sent £2,000 to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance separately.”

Drink-driver who crashed in Harrogate district was six times over limit

Police officers who arrested a man in a village near Ripon after a crash found that he was almost six times over the legal limit for alcohol.

North Yorkshire Police said today the man was so drunk he could barely speak and had to be physically held up.

Officers responded to reports of a two-car collision in Kirkby Malzeard at around 9.30pm on New Year’s Eve.

Nobody was injured but police said in a statement that one of the drivers was “clearly” under the influence of alcohol.

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When tested, the unnamed man’s breath sample contained 208 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms so he was almost six times over.

A statement from the officer at the scene said:

“He appeared so intoxicated he could barely speak, never mind drive a vehicle, and had to be physically held up as he was unable to stand by himself.

“The man was arrested and upon arriving in police custody he provided a further positive evidential sample of breath before being charged for drink driving.

“Mercifully the collision was a minor one with no injuries but this has clearly been a very lucky escape for everyone involved.

“Despite the clear dangers of drink driving there are still individuals who continue to do so. Not only do they pose a danger to themselves, but they put the lives of many others at risk too. It is nothing short of stupidity.”

The man has been released on bail to appear at court later this month.

North Yorkshire Police has urged anyone who suspects someone of drink driving to call 999.

Car ploughs into Masham Bridge and almost ends up in river

A Masham man was lucky to escape unscathed after he crashed his car into Masham Bridge and almost ended up in the River Ure.

North Yorkshire Police said it happened at around 7.30am on Wednesday morning and the driver was a local man in his early 30s.

A police spokesman said the man “was very lucky to escape without any injuries”.

The car was recovered at around 9.00am and damage to the bridge was reported to the county council highways department.

Photos of the aftermath were shared with the Stray Ferret by Masham resident Jason Drew.

It appears a tree was the only thing stopping the car from entering the river.

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Heavy traffic on A1(M) at Boroughbridge eight hours after crash

Update at 4.20pm

The A1(M) has now fully reopened following a serious crash between Ripon and Boroughbridge.

Highways England said there is four and a half miles of congestion following the closure.

Update: The #A1M in #NorthYorkshire has reopened fully following an earlier incident between J49 #Ripon and J48 #Boroughbridge. There is 4.5 miles of congestion following this closure so please allow time for these delays to clear. Safe journey. pic.twitter.com/ImHpv6HZrI

— National Highways: Yorkshire (@HighwaysYORKS) December 9, 2021

Update at 2.35pm

North Yorkshire Police has said the southbound A1(M) has finally reopened but traffic remains heavy.

https://twitter.com/NYorksPolice/status/1468950384135716865

Update at 12.40pm

Drivers have been turned around on the A1(M) southbound carriageway to get them off the motorway while the emergency services deal with a serious crash between Ripon and Boroughbridge.

North Yorkshire Police said it received reports of a single vehicle crash just before 9am. The road has not yet reopened.

It is unclear at this time the extent of any injuries suffered in the crash or when the closure will be lifted.

A Thirsk resident Charles Allen told the Stray Ferret that he had been sat in traffic for more than three hours. He added:

“I was planning to go to Oxford this morning on business to see a client. I left Thirsk around 9.15am so was stuck in traffic for hours.

“The A1(M) was absolute carnage. We were turned around, so we were driving north on the southbound carriage. The surrounding roads are also heavily congested.”

Police have closed the A1(M) southbound carriageway between Ripon and Boroughbridge due to a serious accident just before 9am today.

The air ambulance is on the scene along with all of the other emergency services this morning.

Currently there are delays of 30 minutes but they are expected to increase. Allow extra time for your journey or avoid the area if possible.

North Yorkshire Police has tweeted some details about the incident.

https://twitter.com/NYorksPolice/status/1468890383602098192

 

National Highways has also tweeted about the incident.

The #A1M is closed southbound between J49 (#Ripon) and J48 (#Boroughbridge) following a single vehicle collision. All emergency services including the air ambulance are working at the scene. Please allow extra time for your journey as delays of 30 minutes on the approach. pic.twitter.com/wwMg2Tz2ZB

— National Highways: Yorkshire (@HighwaysYORKS) December 9, 2021

This is a breaking news story which we will update as we get more information.

Harrogate police officer keeps job after running red light and crashing

A Harrogate police officer who was found guilty of dangerous driving after running a red light at 50 miles per hour and crashing has kept her job.

DC Quita Passmore was responding to reports of an officer in distress on May 5 in 2018 when she drove through red lights at the junction of Otley Road and Cold Bath Road.

Patricia Bulmer and Janet Roberton, who were travelling in the car she hit, sustained severe injuries, including broken bones as well as a punctured lung.

Passmore received a 10-month jail term, suspended for two years, and was disqualified from driving for two years at Bradford Crown Court in February.

North Yorkshire Police subsequently held a misconduct hearing, two years after the incident, in May this year.

During the trial, Passmore admitted that her conduct amounted to gross misconduct and the panel agreed. The panel, which had the power to dismiss her, opted instead to issue a final written warning.

Following the outcome, the Stray Ferret has written several times to both the Crown Prosecution Service and North Yorkshire Police to ask when CCTV from the night of the crash, which was shown in court, would be released.

The CPS did not respond numerous times before passing the enquiry onto North Yorkshire Police. North Yorkshire Police told us it was in fact the responsibility of the CPS.

We were then told by both organisations this week that the video was “no longer contemporaneous” and would therefore not be released.

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Last week North Yorkshire Police released a compilation of video footage showing what it described as “some of the worst driving” in the county by members of the public as part of a new “fatal five” campaign focussing on the most common causes of fatalities.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:

“The officer faced the allegation that she had breached the standards of professional behaviour Duties and Responsibilities and Discreditable Conduct.

“The officer admitted that their conduct amounted to gross misconduct and the panel concluded the same. The outcome was a final written warning.”