Harrogate charity to put on conference celebrating disability

An event aiming to celebrate disability and promote living life in the way people wish will come to Harrogate next month.

The Slightly Alternative Seminar is organised by Disability Action Yorkshire (DAY) and will see high-profile names tell their own stories of life as a disabled person.

‘Punk Chef’ Scott Garthwaite and TEDx speaker Pippa Stacey will take to the stage, along with Bafta-winning screenwriter, director and journalist Charlie Swinbourne.

Disability Action Yorkshire chief executive Jackie Snape said:

“We are so excited to be holding our second Slightly Alternative Seminar. The feedback from our first event was amazing and we have built on that to bring together some fantastic speakers who have some remarkably interesting stories to tell. We are looking forward to a wonderful day.”

The event takes place at Pavilions of Harrogate on Friday, May 5, from 10am to 3.30pm.

Ms Snape said the charity is aiming to grow it year on year, as a unique event for members of the disabled community and people who support them.

She added:

“There are few events aimed specifically at disabled people apart from those selling equipment.

“The people we work with were telling us that they wanted information on a variety of subjects that matter to them, not just where to buy a wheelchair, and we listened and we responded.”

The Slightly Alternative Seminar is free to attend and includes free refreshments. Attendees can attend for all or part of the day.

As well as British Sign Language interpreters on hand, the venue has step-free access and a hearing loop.

To book a place, email Hanne Jackson at Disability Action Yorkshire or call 01423 855420.

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What will be the legacy of Harrogate Borough Council?

From the towns of Knaresborough, Masham and Pateley Bridge to the villages of North Rigton, Summerbridge and Kirkby Malzeard, life will continue without Harrogate Borough Council.

For anyone still not aware, the council will be abolished at the end of this month after 49 years of existence.

From April 1, a new council called North Yorkshire Council will be created for the whole county and HBC will eventually become a distant memory.

Harrogate Borough Council has played a role, small or large, in the life of every resident so the Local Democracy Reporting Service asked four different people in the Harrogate district the same question — what will be its ultimate legacy?

The view from residents

Rene Dziabas

For some residents, the council begins and ends with when their bins are collected.
Others are more engaged with the ins-and-outs of council business and how it spends public money.

Rene Dziabas is the chair of Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association, a group that covers an area from Harlow Hill to Rossett Green and Arthurs Avenue to Castle Hill.

Mr Dziabas has lived in Harrogate for 40 years. He said even though the town has seen major changes on the council’s watch he would still move here today if he could.

He said:

“The recycling set up and bin collection has been good. The Valley Gardens and the Pinewoods look good. Those elements are still nice features of Harrogate. The Mercer Art Gallery is an absolute jewel, it punches above its weight. Its exhibitions are really good and well-curated.”

But despite these uniquely Harrogate benefits that the council delivers, Mr Dziabas said over-subscribed schools, poor quality roads and pressure on Harrogate District Hospital have all been made worse by planning decisions taken by Harrogate Borough Council.

Over 4,000 homes could eventually be built in the west of Harrogate over the next decade, including over 1,000 homes in fields next to RHS Garden Harlow Carr on Otley Road.

As with elsewhere in the district, these new developments will change the face of Harlow Hill and Pannal Ash forever. However, residents were disappointed with a document drawn up Harrogate Borough Council last year that said how the homes will link up with local roads, schools and healthcare services.

Mr Dziabas said:

“In this neck of the woods, Harrogate Borough Council is not leaving it in a better state. I can’t think of any major piece of work that’s really had a significant mitigation effect on the problems at the west of Harrogate.”

The council’s Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place, will mean thousands more people can enjoy living in the Harrogate district but Mr Dziabas said there are lessons to be learned when it comes to consulting with residents about development. He added:

“Harrogate Borough Council ought to have been more communicative with the public in general. Ultimately we live in a democratic society, we are funding those institutions and I don’t think it’s unreasonable for them to communicate.”

The view from the staff

The Civic Centre in Harrogate

Local government union Unison estimates Harrogate Borough Council has employed around 10,000 people since it was created in 1974.

David Houlgate, who has been Harrogate branch secretary at Unison for the last 18 years, said it’s these people who will be the council’s “enduring and lasting legacy”. He said:

“They are the ones who have delivered services over the years, they are the ones who kept those services going during the pandemic, they are the real stars of Harrogate Borough Council.”

The vast majority of council staff will automatically transfer over to the new authority North Yorkshire Council on April 1.

Mr Houlgate is hopeful these staff members will deliver quality services to residents despite the well-documented cost pressures the new council will face. He said:

“If it gets things right and works with its staff and the trade unions to deliver joined-up and effective services then it’s likely that Harrogate Borough Council will fade in the memory.  If the new council fails to deliver on what it has said it would then inevitably Harrogate council will no doubt be missed.”

Mr Houlgate has worked for the council for the last 26 years and is currently a local taxation team leader.

Since 2010, the government has slashed funding for the council, which he said has resulted in higher workloads and stress for staff. He added:

“It has changed an awful lot in my time at the council.  It delivers more with less which has been necessary as a result of drastic cuts to funding from a central government that only seems to pay lip service to public services.

“To do this it has, over the years, cut the terms and conditions of staff, pay has not kept pace with inflation and workloads and stress absences have increased.

“As it comes to an end, there are recruitment and retention issues like never before.  It probably does not offer the career paths it once did.  The new council will hopefully offer more opportunities. We will have to wait and see.”

The view from outside of Harrogate

Photo of Cllr Andrew Williams

Cllr Andrew Williams

Harrogate Borough Council was created in 1974 as an amalgamation of smaller councils including those in Knaresborough, Nidderdale, Ripon and Harrogate.

The council has been based in Harrogate for all that time, moving from Crescent Gardens to the Civic Centre in 2017.

But for some people living outside of the town, Harrogate Borough Council has focused too much on the district’s largest urban area.

Cllr Andrew Williams is a former councillor on Harrogate Borough Council. He currently sits on North Yorkshire County Council as an independent and is also leader of Ripon City Council.

There are hopes in Ripon that the new council will look at the city as an equal to similar-sized market towns in the county like Thirsk, Malton and Northallerton.

Cllr Williams has been an outspoken critic of Harrogate Borough Council as he believes the authority has not given Ripon a fair shake.

The council has invested heavily in the Harrogate Convention Centre, which he believes has resulted in few benefits for his city.

However, he praised the council’s staff for their work in delivering services to residents over the years. Cllr Williams said:

“It would be fair to say that some of the services provided are not unreasonable. The refuse collection service, parks and gardens and the housing department do their best.

“The staff have worked incredibly hard to deliver services for residents across the district.”

Harrogate Borough Council points to its investment in new state-of-the-art leisure facilities in Ripon and Knaresborough as examples of its commitment to towns outside of Harrogate.

Cllr Williams called the new pool in Ripon a “significant improvement” but added:

“One project in 50 years is hardly justification for its previous misdemeanours in my view.”

Cllr Williams said Harrogate Borough Council’s legacy in Ripon will not be positive:

“[Their legacy is] under-investment and a failure to recognise the Harrogate district encompasses more than Harrogate, the conference centre being the prime example.

“Money has been poured into Harrogate at the expense of everywhere else in the district.”

The view from charities

Jackie Snape

Harrogate Borough Council has been a staunch supporter of the district’s voluntary and community sector.

There are more than 700 charitable organisations in the Harrogate district and many have stepped up over the last 13 years as the council has been forced to cut services due to austerity.

The council organises the Local Fund, which was launched in 2018 by Harrogate Borough Council, Harrogate and District Community Action and Two Ridings Community Foundation.

Last year the fund granted £85,000 to 29 different groups.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said she has enjoyed working with local councillors on various campaigns, including a recent push to improve accessbility at tourist venues. Ms Snape said:

“Harrogate Borough Council was an early adopter of our Think Access campaign, and one of the major factors that we, and other charities, will miss is the local knowledge with individual councillors, often showing a great interest in causes close to their heart and local area.”

Key to the council’s relationship with charities is the role of the mayor, which is a councillor that for 12 months has a packed diary full of meeting charities and attending events.

Current and final Harrogate borough mayor Victoria Oldham was seen getting stuck in with a shovel last year to break ground at Disability Action Yorkshire’s £7.5m supported living complex at Claro Road.

Ms Snape added:

“For many years we were blessed by regular visits by the mayor of the day, all of whom paid great interest in the work we do, both at Hornbeam Park and at Claro Road.

Ms Snape said the council’s legacy of supporting charities will be remembered. Many charities rely on funding from the council and she hopes the new authority will show the same level of support. She said:

“Its work in helping and supporting a raft of charities working with some of the most vulnerable people in society will certainly be remembered for many years to come.

“We hope that when April 1 arrives, and North Yorkshire Council takes over that the same level of local funding and support continues, which is vital to the survival of many charities in the district.”

Looking ahead

If four more people were asked their opinion on what Harrogate Borough Council has achieved and what its legacy will be — it would likely generate another four very different answers.

This perhaps shows the council has done more for the district than it is sometimes given credit for.

But most would probably agree that how fondly Harrogate Borough Council will be remembered is likely to depend on how successful the new council is at the delivering the nuts and bolts services that residents have always expected for the last 49 years.

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Paralympic champion among new trustees at Harrogate charity

New trustees have joined the board of a Harrogate charity, including a Paralympic gold medalist.

Laurence Whiteley MBE, who won gold at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in the mixed double scull, is one of two new members with disabilities to take on the role at Disability Action Yorkshire.

He is joined by Carl Howard, Colin McCorkindale, Kathryn Leigh, Peter McBay, Susanne Driffield, and Andrew Simister, who suffered life-changing injuries in an accident earlier this year.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said: 

“We are delighted to welcome these ‘Magnificent Seven’ new trustees, among whom there is a huge amount of skill and experience.

“We are particularly pleased to have been able to recruit more trustees with lived experience of disability, meaning that more than 50 per cent of our trustees have either personal or family experience, something which we considered to be hugely important.

“Our new recruits will help ensure excellent governance as the charity moves forward, as we continue to empower and support the local disabled community.”

Laurence Whiteley MBE. Picture: Paralympics GB.

Laurence Whiteley MBE. Picture: Paralympics GB.

Owing to the retirement of several long-standing trustees, the charity conducted a full skills and experience audit, and as a result was able to recruit trustees with the necessary attributes.

The new trustees, together with existing ones led by Chair Neil Revely, will oversee exciting new projects, including the £7.5 million assisted living development currently under construction in its Claro Road residential care home site.

Pictured above backrow from left are Disability Action Yorkshire Chief Executive Jackie Snape, new Trustee Carl Howard, Chair Neil Revely, new Trustee Peter McBay and Trustee Guy Tweedy. Pictured front row from left are new trustee Andrew Simister, new Trustee Susanne Driffield, new Trustee Kathryn Leigh and Trustee Andrew Newton.

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Harrogate district people with disabilities urged to have their say on housing tomorrow

People with disabilities in the Harrogate district have been invited to attend a debate tomorrow night about accessible housing.

Harrogate-based charity Disability Action Yorkshire has assembled a panel of four experts for the event, which will take place at the Cedar Court Hotel in Harrogate at 5pm.

Titled ‘Accessible Housing for Everyone in North Yorkshire’, the event gives disabled people the chance to have their say and influence decisions on assisted living.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said:

“The aim of the evening is for disabled people to tell us, and more importantly our panellists, about their housing needs.

“Our hope is that their comments will help influence future assisted living decisions made by the new North Yorkshire Council, which in turn will deliver benefits to those disabled people looking to live in their own homes.”

The panel includes:

Disability Action Yorkshire chair, Neil Revely, will head the panel.

New 36-bed home

This year, Disability Action Yorkshire, in partnership with Highstone Housing Association, was granted approval by Harrogate Borough Council to replace its 20-bed care home on Claro Road, Harrogate with a new 36-bed care home.

The £7.5 million complex will also include a base for Disability Action Yorkshire staff, who will be on site 24-hours a day.

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Ms Snape said:

“Our assisted living scheme, which will be completed by this time next year, is one of the most significant developments in our 85-year history. It fulfils one of our key ambitions, to give disabled people the independence they crave.

“Whilst our panellists have a wealth of expertise in this area, we believe it’s vital that they hear from the district’s disabled community. These are the people who more often than not need some form of assistance to live independently, and we need to ensure these needs are properly met.”

If you would like to participate in the debate, contact Jackie Snape via email or telephone at: 01423855410.

The breaking ground ceremony at Claro Road with, from left to right, Disability Action Yorkshire chair Neil Revely, The Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate Cllr Victoria Oldham, Harrogate & Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones, and Highstone Housing Association executive director Joanne Hawley.

Wheelchair user praises Harrogate restaurant for buying ramp

A wheelchair user has praised the owner of Harrogate restaurant Oliveta who personally went out and bought a ramp so she could dine inside.

Now, Nichola Emmerson is calling for other businesses in the town to follow suit in a bid to make eating out more accessible.

Ms Emmerson, who is a campaigner and advocate for disabled access, said she believed any public service should be available to everyone.

She said:

“I’m finding in Harrogate that as much as I love the town, there are an awful lot of businesses that aren’t accessible. I think there are a lot that could be.

“I feel a bit let down by society. I want it to change. The legislation in this country is not good enough for access and there are ways and means of getting around it. So companies get away with not providing access.”

Ms Emmerson, who lives in Harrogate, said she enjoyed going to restaurants, but often ended up being limited to chains, which usually provided access.

A few weeks ago, she spotted Oliveta, on Station Parade, which she saw had steps but decided to call the restaurant to see if there was another entrance.

She said:

“The owner was extremely polite and whilst informing me that he didn’t have wheelchair access, it was something he was working on.

“In the meantime, he suggested that he would put a table and some chairs outside. A great idea I thought, so the following evening, the sun was shining and I met my friend at Oliveta’s. We had a wonderful evening and the food was sublime.”

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Since that evening, Ms Emmerson spent time working with the owner, Kole Lleshi, in an effort to get a ramp, doorbell and signage installed to make it wheelchair accessible.

She said:

“To my absolute delight, Kole has now got a ramp, which he funded himself, following an attempt to get help from the local council and failing.

“I am now able to access the restaurant, which has the most wonderful interior and the icing on the cake is knowing there is also a fully accessible disabled toilet. These adjustments make such a different the lives of disabled people.”

Kole Lleshi, who opened the Mediterranean restaurant with his wife Bukurie, in December 2021, said he had tried to seek support from Harrogate Borough Council, but did not get a response.

He said:

“Nichola will be my customer now forever, so I checked the legislation and it said we could use a safety ramp.

“I found a ramp in Doncaster on a website. So I went with my wife, we bought it. I called Nichola and told her to come back and we tried and it’s working. She came in and that night she was supposed to stay only one hour and stayed for three.”

Ms Emmerson explained that there was a huge potential spending power from the country’s disabled people, known as “the purple pound”. This is thought to contribute around £249 billion annually to the economy.

She said:

“Our money is as valuable as anyone else’s. If we can’t get into services to use it, then it’s not good for the economy.”

“The fact that this has happened is very close to my heart. When I went into the restaurant I just felt free. It has also got a disabled toilet. Quite a lot are full of changing tables and they are an after thought, but this is a nice environment.

“I now want other disabled people to come here to enjoy the food and use the facilities and I want other businesses to follow suit.

“Of course Harrogate is hilly and full of old buildings, but I’m finding that retailers are either not bothered about trying to make what in most cases could be a simple change to their premises. Or they are unaware of the the purple pound and the pieces of equipment that are available.”

The disabled toilet at Oliveta.

Harrogate charity Disability Action Yorkshire offers accessibility audits to help businesses do all they can to be fully accessible.

A spokesman for the charity said for some businesses it was impossible to adapt the premises and make them fully accessible. However, he said there were ways of making them more welcoming for disabled people.

He said:

“For someone to buy their own ramp, that’s absolutely fantastic. Now wheelchair users can go and have a meal there.

“If anybody wants advice on this issue, please contact Disability Action Yorkshire. We can work with businesses to help them operate in a disability-friendly way.”

A spokesman for Harrogate Borough Council commented:

“Under the Equality Act 2010, businesses should ensure they do not discriminate against individuals with a disability. Further guidance, including all statutory requirements for businesses, can be found on the government’s website.

“Any eligible individuals who may need financial support to help adapt their home in order to meet the needs of any disabled children or adults living there can apply for a disabled facilities grant (DFG). Further information is available via our website.”

No increase in wheelchair accessible taxis in Harrogate district

There has been no increase in the number of wheelchair accessible taxis in the Harrogate district despite licensing changes to boost travel options for disabled people.

Harrogate Borough Council removed a limit on the number of licenses available for these vehicles last June after complaints that wheelchair users were being “cut off from society”.

There were just 22 wheelchair accessible taxis in the district at the time – and now that figure remains the same.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said while the Harrogate-based charity appreciated the efforts made by the council, wheelchair users were stuck facing the same travel issues that they have had for “many years”.

She said: 

“Disabled people are still facing unnecessary barriers to living their daily lives with one in three disabled people saying that they just don’t make journeys due to transport challenges.

“We have many examples of people missing medical appointments and social events because they just couldn’t get there.

“In recent times, due to the risk of covid, many disabled people are reluctant to travel on public transport, viewing taxis as a much safer option – if they were available.

“Reliable, accessible, transport is key to an independent life. There is still much that can be done in all areas of public transport to improve this.

“We have an amazing district and it would be so good to be able to promote this as accessible to all.”

Ms Snape added there is “very low” availability of wheelchair accessible taxis at peak times and during evenings in a problem which she previously described as a “cab curfew” on disabled people.

These concerns were first raised in a council-run study which concluded wheelchair users were suffering from a “great deal of anxiety” over worries they could be left stranded.

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Before the licensing changes were introduced last June, taxi drivers were worried that an unlimited number of licences could “deregulate” the trade.

However, those fears that a wave of new drivers could flood into Harrogate have not been realised.

Harrogate Borough Council said while the overall number of wheelchair accessible taxis has not increased, there are now more hackney carriages than private hire vehicles, which gives disabled people “greater flexibility” as these can be hailed at ranks without the need to pre-book.

A council spokesman said:

“There is no easy way to encourage both private vehicles and hackney carriages to provide wheelchair accessible vehicles

“But we hope over the coming months, the figure will increase to further allow customers who use wheelchairs to go about their lives.

“The demand for new wheelchair accessible vehicle plates is self-limiting by virtue of the upfront cost of the vehicle and cost of maintenance. And from our initial observations, there has been no devastating impact on trade, as suggested.

“We will continue to promote wheelchair accessible vehicle plates to both private vehicles and hackney carriage holders to ensure the current demand for the service is met.”

New Harrogate Pret criticised for lack of disability access

Pret a Manger has been criticised for opening a new shop in Harrogate that is currently inaccessible to wheelchair users.

Customers to the sandwich and coffee chain, which opened on Harrogate’s James Street on Friday, have to walk up two steps to enter.

Pret has said a permanent ramp cannot be fitted due “to the structure of the building”.

It added that a low-level bell has been fitted outside to alert staff to bring out a “purpose-designed portable ramp” when requested but it has not yet been delivered.

Local resident, Jeannine Fisher, contacted the Stray Ferret today after seeing a wheelchair user unable to get inside the shop. She said:

“It makes me very frustrated that we should exclude people from society.  It beggars belief that a multinational company, who must clearly be aware of the guidelines, have neglected to create inclusive access.

“With everything else that wheelchairs users have to navigate in the town it feels so unfair that they are unable to do simple things that others can do such as having a coffee with their friends.”

Harrogate charity Disability Action Yorkshire offers accessibility audits to help businesses do all they can to be fully accessible.

Chief executive Jackie Snape said:

“It is very disappointing that Pret had not consulted with disabled people, or a disability organisation, about accessibility to its new James Street outlet. We would be more than happy to speak with the local team as to what they can still do to aid disabled customers.

“We do note, however, that Pret has a digital accessibility policy on its website, it’s just a shame there isn’t a store accessibility policy to match!”

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A Pret spokesperson said:

“We know how it important it is for customers in wheelchairs to have easy access to our shop.

“Sadly, in Harrogate we’ve been unable to fit a permanent ramp due to the structure of the building and its listed status. That’s why we’ve had a bespoke portable ramp designed to give our customers step-free access into the shop.”

Harrogate charity seeks trustees with business skills

Harrogate charity calls for new trustees 

Harrogate charity Disability Action Yorkshire is seeking new trustees to join its board after a number retired.

The charity, based on Hornbeam Park, is keen to attract those who themselves are disabled, or who have other personal experience of disability.

Business people with professional skills are particularly well suited to the voluntary roles. Disability Action Yorkshire is particularly in need of people with skills in digital and IT, investment management, law, HR, marketing and business development.

The organisation recently received planning permission to replace its residential care home on Claro Road with 36 apartments, which will give disabled people the chance to live independently whilst having support staff nearby 24/7.

Jackie Snape, Disability Action Yorkshire chief executive, said:

“We are a long established, Harrogate-based charity which believes that disabled people should have exactly the same access, rights and services as everyone else. In order to further this, we provide a number of practical solutions and services which include personal assistance, support in employment and access advice.

“We welcome applications from all sectors of the community, and whether you are an experienced trustee or looking for your first post at board level, we would love to hear from you.”

To find out more, click here. Applications close on May 31.

New head starts at Harrogate independent school

A new headteacher started this week at Ashville Prep School, an independent school in Harrogate that caters for pupils aged five to 11.

Asa Firth took on the role after 14 years teaching at schools in the United Arab Emirates, including 12 years at Dubai’s top independent school.

Mr Firth said there would be a new approach to learning from September and his top priority now was to speak to every parent and pupil about their views of the school to help determine the direction of the school going forward.

He said:

“Ashville Prep School is a fantastic school and I want to make it even better. I’m delighted to be its new head, and starting now means I have a whole term to get to know the school inside out before the beginning of the new academic year.”

He also said he wanted to “reintroduce Ashville Prep School back to the wider community” and focus on its “really strong” music, sport and performance departments to set the school apart from others locally.

Mr Firth with pupils from years four, five and six

36 supported living flats to be built at Claro Road in Harrogate

Plans for a new 36-flat supported housing development in Harrogate have been given the go-ahead today.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of the Harrogate charity Disability Action Yorkshire, made an impassioned plea to councillors for the scheme to go ahead. She said disabled people wanted to be given more control of their lives.

Ms Snape told Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning meeting that the need for supported housing was growing ever greater as disabled people “want so much more than residential care”.

She was speaking in support of plans to replace the charity’s existing Claro Road care home with 36 flats, which will allow residents to live more independently.

Ms Snape said:

“Disability Action Yorkshire has provided residential care for disabled people in the Harrogate area for the past 60 years, and for at least the last six years we have been working towards stopping that part of our service.

“The reason for this is that the disabled people we work with are telling us very loudly that they don’t want residential care.

“I asked the young disabled people currently living in 34 Claro Road what they thought I should say to you today.

“They said ‘just tell them we are ready, we want choice and control over our own lives, we just want our own front doors, we want what everyone else has.’”

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Disability Action Yorkshire, which this year celebrates its 85th anniversary, is working with Highstone Housing Association to build three apartment blocks at the Claro Road site.

Residents ‘no longer want residential care’

Ms Snape said the need for this type of accommodation has been growing over the last decade, but became in even greater demand during the pandemic which “solidified the resolve” of Claro Road residents that they no longer want residential care.

She said:

“For the past two years they have been treated differently to the rest of society, at one point not being able to have visits from friends and family while the rest of the country went out to eat out.

“Nearly every day somebody said we wouldn’t be in this situation if we had a home of our own.”

The charity’s plans – which included a mix of one and two-bed flats – were approved with “open arms” by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee today.

Works will now start later this month to construct the first of the flats on the grounds of the current home and on a derelict playground which was sold off by the council last year.

The existing care home will be replaced with flats, as well as a base for support staff who will be on site 24-hours-a-day.

Speaking at today’s meeting, councillor Stuart Martin said:

“This is exactly the sort of development we should be building and it’s one of the easiest decisions I’ve taken on this planning committee.”

Harrogate disability charity explains why some crossings don’t beep

Harrogate-based charity Disability Action Yorkshire has explained why many pedestrian crossings in Harrogate town centre do not make a beeping sound to let blind or visually impaired people know it is safe to cross.

It follows a Stray Ferret article published on Saturday about Harrogate man John Raho, 80, who relies on the noise to help him cross the road safely when vehicles stop and the green man appears.

But from the top of Cheltenham Parade up Station Parade and to the Victoria Avenue junction, 9 out of 10 crossings did not make any noise at all, which Mr Raho said was ‘shameful’.

Mr Raho received some messages of support on social media from people who named other pedestrian crossings in the district where they would like to hear a beeping noise.

Could be confusing

Disability Action Yorkshire was founded 84 years ago and helps disabled people live the life of their choosing.

It has headquarters and a training centre on Hornbeam Park, a residential care home on Claro Road, and a holiday lodge in Lincolnshire.

Its chief executive Jackie Snape said she sympathised with Mr Raho’s plight but said having too many crossings making the noise could be confusing.

Ms Snape said:

“[Crossings that don’t beep] is something we hear quite a lot but I do fully understand the reasons.

“It’s where there are two or three crossings close to each other. People could get confused and walk into the roads.”

Jackie Snape, Disability Action Yorkshire chief executive.

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Ms Snape said there needed to be greater awareness that crossings that don’t beep have a small cone underneath that can be touched. The cone turns when the green man lights up to indicate it is safe to cross.

But she added that since covid, many people did not feel comfortable touching it.

Many crossings have a plastic cone underneath that turns when it is safe to cross

Victoria Avenue junction

Whilst Ms Snape said it would be confusing to have too many crossings on Station Parade making the beeping noise, the silent crossing at the Victoria Avenue junction “needs looking at” because it wasn’t in close proximity to other crossings.

She said crossings like this should be reported to North Yorkshire County Council through its website.

Ms Snape said:

“We’ve reported machines in the past when they have stopped working. Unless they are reported, the council does not know they are not working properly.”

Ms Snape added that if any blind or partially sighted person would like to report a crossing that does not make a beeping noise, the charity can do it on their behalf through its website or by calling 01423 855419.