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Politicians back campaign for council to honour Rachel Daly

Politicians from both sides in Harrogate and Knaresborough have backed Killinghall Nomads‘ campaign for Rachel Daly to receive a civic honour.

The club — supported by the Stray Ferret — set-up a petition for North Yorkshire Council to recognise the achievements of the Harrogate-born England footballer.

Daly won Euro 22 last year and was this year awarded the Golden Boot for being the Women’s Super League top scorer, as well as playing in last weekend’s World Cup final.

Nomads have suggested renaming the council-owned Hydro leisure centre, which is close to the pitches where Daly and thousands of young people have played, after the England Lioness. The council is keen to promote community fitness at its leisure centres.

This week Rossett School said its sports pitches in Harrogate will be named after the former pupil.

Headteacher Tim Milburn described the decision as a “no brainer” but both he and Mike Sweetman, the former Rossett coach who spotted Daly’s potential, said this didn’t absolve the council of responsibility to confer a civic honour on Daly.

Mr Milburn said:

“The town is clamouring for something to have in her honour. The Hydro probably fits that bill – a place that inspires people to get fit and active.”

Daly and mum Louise, who lives locally. Pic: Rachel Daly Instagram

The Stray Ferret sought the views of local politicians this week.

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said Daly was an inspiration whose CV “is much more than being part of our world cup final team”.

He said:

“We should certainly recognise her achievements here in her hometown.

“She was a pupil at Rossett School and she played for Killinghall Nomads. The Stray Ferret have set up a petition giving the Hydro as an example of the type of place that might bear her name.

“A representative of Killinghall Nomads has asked for other suggestions on Facebook and Ms Daly will need to be consulted too.

“I think it is absolutely right that the town marks her achievements in a big way and whatever local honour is settled upon will have my wholehearted support.”

Tom Gordon, who will stand for the Liberal Democrats against Mr Jones at the next election, said he supported the petition.

“As part of the renovation currently underway the centre is due to be renamed, dropping the Hydro, becoming Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.

“We have the opportunity to recognise Rachel’s achievements as a world cup finalist, a Euro 22 winner, and as a top flight professional footballer from this town.“

Council’s lukewarm response

Whether it happens will depend on the Conservative council’s ruling 10-person executive.

The executive, which is 80 per cent male, so far appears lukewarm on giving Daly the same recognition diver Jack Laugher received in Ripon, where the leisure centre was renamed after him.

Jack Laugher displays his Olympic gold medal at the opening of Ripon leisure centre.

Leader Carl Les acknowledged the council “need to find a fitting way” to celebrate the Lionesses achievements and pledged to come up with a policy on recognising local people at an unspecified date.

He said:

“For clarity, our sense of urgency is linked to our commitment to consider a policy for how we recognise and celebrate the achievements of local people, not to renaming a leisure centre that will reopen in a few days’ time, as I am sure people will understand.”

The only Harrogate councillor on the executive, Michael Harrison, who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, declined to give an opinion when asked by the Stray Ferret.

He suggested we try fellow executive member Simon Myers, whose culture, arts and housing portfolio covers such matters.

Cllr Myers, who represents Mid Craven for the Tories, told the Stray Ferret he had only just learned of the situation and “will have to speak to a number of people to get their views before coming to any of my own”.

‘We should encourage girls to stay active’

Killinghall Nomads petition, backed by the Stray Ferret, has surpassed the 500-signature threshold that makes it eligible for debate by the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, an advisory body that can put pressure on the council leadership.

We emailed all 13 local councillors on the committee, which consists of seven Lib Dems, five Conservative and one Lib Dem, to ask if they felt the council should recognise Daly and if they supported the Hydro petition.

All five of the Lib Dems who replied backed the idea.

The Hydro is due to reopen under a new name on September 4.

Cllr Monika Slater, whose Bilton Grange and New Park division includes the Hydro, said:

“The positive influence that the Lionesses have had on women’s sport should not be underestimated.

“We should be doing much more to support and encourage girls and women to stay active and participate in sports so yes I whole heartedly support this.”

Cllr Chris Aldred, who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley, said it was a “great idea”.

Cllr Matt Walker, who represents Knaresborough West, said positive role models in sport helped to “get people active early for good health and wellbeing throughout their life”. He added:

“In principle I’m supportive and to be consistent then the new Knaresborough pool would need a suitable sports person. Perhaps Beryl Burton?”

Cllr Pet Marsh, the committee chair who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone, said she supported it but would prefer to see a football ground recognise Daly.

Cllr Peter Lacey, who represents Coppice Valley and Duchy, said:

“I do believe that the renaming of the Hydro at this point would be a fitting tribute to Rachel’s contribution to sport and would therefore be in support of the proposal.”

Two Conservatives replied.

Cllr John Mann, who represents Oatlands and Pannal, said he had signed the petition, adding:

“I think she has done a lot for women’s sport and indeed sport in general and Harrogate should, indeed is, proud of her achievements. I would support the Hydro leisure centre being renamed after her.

Paul Haslam, the only other Conservative to reply, said it was a “peoples’ decision not a councillor one and I would not wish to influence this is anyway”.

The Bilton and Nidd Gorge councillor added:

“Rachel is no doubt an outstanding athlete. I do note that Rachel plays for Aston Villa and left Harrogate in 2012. We do have other female sporting celebrities such as Charlotte McGuinness or from the past Beryl Burton for example.”

Independent Cllr Mike Schofield, who represents Harlow and St George’s, said he supported Rossett Sports Centre celebrating Daly “as it was the school which she attended and has a rich history of producing sports people” but did not say whether he felt the council should do anything.

You can still sign the petition here.

Council ‘urgently’ considers policy on recognising local people

North Yorkshire Council has said it is urgently considering coming up with a policy that recognises local people;

However, it has no said whether it will rename Harrogate Hydro as the Rachel Daly Leisure and Wellness Centre.

The Hydro is due to reopen on September 4 following a £13.5 million refurbishment as Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.

But Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club is campaigning for it to be named after their former player and England star.

The council-owned leisure centre in Ripon set a precedent when it was renamed after Olympic diving champion Jack Laugher.

Daly, who has 428,000 Instagram followers, was part of England’s Euro 2022 winning team last year. This year she has won the Golden Boot for being the top goalscorer in the Women’s Super League and played in the Women’s World Cup final. She is also on the shortlist for the PFA Player’s Player of the Year award.

The former Rossett School pupil has retained close links with Killinghall Nomads, whose ground is close to the Hydro, and even sent a message to the club on the eve of the World Cup final.

The Stray Ferret is supporting the club’s campaign calling for the council to honour Daly. You can sign the petition here.

North Yorkshire Council leader Carl Les said last week the council “will consider a policy for how we might recognise the achievements of local people”.

We subsequently asked whether the council had any plans to consider naming the Hydro after Daly before it reopens in less than two weeks.

A council spokesman said today:

“We can add to Cllr Les’s statement that we are looking at this matter with some urgency.”

Petition launched calling for Harrogate to honour Rachel Daly

A petition has been launched today calling for the council to honour Harrogate’s England Lioness, Rachel Daly.

Daly is part of the England team that will be taking on Spain in tomorrow’s Women’s World Cup final.

She has already won the European Championships and this season’s Golden Boot for being the Women’s Super League leading scorer — yet her achievements have been completely overlooked by the council.

Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club yesterday called for that to change and has today launched a petition. It can be signed here.

The petition calls on North Yorkshire Council to recognise Daly’s achievements, preferably by renaming Harrogate Hydro, which is due to re-open next month, the Rachel Daly Leisure and Wellness Centre — and the Stray Ferret is backing the club’s call.

Daly has liked a post on the club’s Instagram account about the story. So has comedian Maisie Adam, who also hails from Harrogate.

Daly with Killinghall Nomads players when she visited in May.

North Yorkshire Council is keen to promote community fitness at its leisure centres and the Hydro is close to the Killinghall Nomads grounds where Daly started her career and hundreds of boys and girls get active each week.

Mary Beggs-Reid, the club’s media manager, said:

“We urge everyone to sign this petition as it’s high time the council recognised Rachel.”

If the petition attracts 500 signatures it will be discussed by the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee.

Cllr Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire Council, said it sent best wishes to Daly and the other Lionesses, adding:

“Regarding any local honour for Rachel, as a new council we will consider a policy for how we might recognise the achievements of local people.”

To sign the petition, click here.

Petition protesting Ripon Cathedral’s plans to fell trees for £6m expansion delivered to council

A petition signed by more than 800 people against the felling of trees in Ripon Cathedral’s £6 million expansion plans has been delivered to North Yorkshire Council.

The cathedral submitted plans in December for a two-storey structure on part of the public open space known as Minster Gardens.

It says the building is much-needed and will provide a new song school for its choir, a cafe, toilet facilities and disabled access.

But the plans also include the loss of a veteran beech tree as well as 10 other trees on the gardens which has proved controversial.

The cathedral has argued that 14 trees would be planted round the development as well as a further 300 at Studley Royal.

However to Jenni Holman, who set up the petition, this fails to compensate for the loss of the mature trees as well as part of the green space that would be built on.

The petition is still available to be signed in Karma on Kirkgate in Ripon and Ms Holman hopes more than 1,000 people will have put their names to it soon.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:

“I organised it, with the help of many others, because I fundamentally disagree with the plans to build an annexe for the Cathedral’s use on Minster Gardens. Firstly and most importantly because it would mean felling eleven mature trees, one of which is a beech tree which has been awarded ‘veteran’ status. I shouldn’t need to explain the importance of trees now!

“Secondly, the area in question, Minster Gardens is a beautiful green space in a built up area, again climatically it is not good to create more hard surface areas. This park is used by people to sit and quietly enjoy, it contains a beautiful memorial garden too.

“It has been used for entertainment, for example when the theatre festival was on and many enjoyed the recent musical entertainment which rounded off St Wilfrid’s day.”

Ripon Cathedral’s plans have been backed by the public body Historic England as well as the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England.

The catherdral currently welcomes 100,000 visitors a year, which it argues could increase by 33% if the expansion went ahead.

The Dean of Ripon the Very Rev John Dobson said the tree campaigners were risking undermining a development which he believes will “hugely enhance” both the city and its cathedral.

He said:

“We are really disappointed with how this petition has been positioned as we feel that it is not representative of the plans submitted.

“It’s disingenuous to suggest that this development would take away green space from the city, in fact it is adding to the usable green space in the area and landscaping will flow into the memorial garden. No one takes a decision to cut down a tree lightly but we believe this new development will bring a wide range of benefits to the city.

“We are planting 14 trees around the development and a further 300 on land which has been made available to us at Studley, as well as increasing the biodiversity of the green space created.”

Councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton and Ripon planning committee are expected to consider the application later this year.

Council agrees to meet Knaresborough traders for electric vehicle parking talks

Traders in Knaresborough are to hold talks with North Yorkshire Council in an attempt to resolve the dispute over electric vehicle charging stations.

Ten charging stations were installed late last year in bays previously available to all vehicles in Chapel Street Car Park.

Most are frequently empty, while customers in petrol or diesel cars struggle to find spaces, particularly on Wednesday market days and Saturdays.

The issue has incensed some business owners who say they are losing customers and the town is losing parking revenue.

A petition calling for some of the 10 EV charging stations in Chapel Street Car Park to be made available to all cars is available in five shops.

The petition has attracted more than 500 signatures, which is the threshold for ensuring the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee debates the subject.

To keep up the pressure, hairdresser Kelly Teggin asked the council to attend a meeting with town centre businesses.

Kelly Teggin

Ms Teggin said:

“Businesses are absolutely fuming but they also want an amicable resolution to this.

“I’ve had another two customers this week say they won’t come back because of this.”

She emphasised traders supported EV parking, but supply currently out-stripped demand.

Barrie Mason, assistant director for highways and transport at the council, said its electric vehicle infrastructure strategy demonstrated its commitment to tackling climate change.

Mr Mason added:

“We are in correspondence with local councillors and campaigners around electric vehicle infrastructure in Knaresborough and would welcome a meeting.”

He added there was a need for a publicly accessible charging network for people who didn’t have access to charging at home.

Asked why the council chose to install the charging stations in the most central car park, where many older shoppers park, he said:

“Chargers were never intended to be installed in York Place car park as there is a covenant on the land and the town centre is an air quality management area, so we want to encourage people to use their electric vehicles there.

“Also, the grant is primarily aimed at residential charging, and in the area surrounding Chapel Street Car Park there is no access to off-street parking.”

Knaresborough traders start electric vehicle parking petition

Knaresborough traders have started a petition calling for some town centre electric vehicle charging stations to be made available to all cars.

Ten parking bays in Chapel Street Car Park were set aside for electric vehicles at the end of last year.

Most are frequently empty — while there is often a scramble for non-electric vehicle parking spaces, especially on Wednesday market days and Saturdays.

The sight of cars circling for parking spaces while the majority of EV bays are empty has infuriated traders, who claim they are losing business due to customers giving up and going elsewhere.

Electric vehicle EV Chapel Street car park parking

Empty electric vehicle charging stations in Chapel Street car park.

They also say taxpayers are missing out on income the empty bays are failing to generate.

Hairdresser Kelly Teggin, who launched the petition today, said it aimed to get 500 signatures, which would require North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee to debate the matter.

Ms Teggin said:

“The council has not really been engaging with us and hopefully this petition will change that.

“Many of my clients are older and say they won’t walk from other car parks further away. I estimate it’s costing the town 500 to 1,000 shoppers a week.”

The petition calls for “North Yorkshire Council to enter into urgent dialogue to discuss a phased transition to full electric vehicle provision”.

Ms Teggin said the council had allocated enough EV charging stations in Knaresborough to meet its targets for 2038 and was ignoring the current reality on the ground. She added:

“We agree we need EV parking bays but we don’t need 10 now.”

Fellow Knaresborough businessman Steve Teggin said it wasn’t realistic to expect older people carrying shopping to walk from car parks further out of town.

It is still unclear whether non-EV vehicles parking in EV bays are getting fined.

Ms Teggin said the council had not engaged on the matter and no car park signage explains the situation.

Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council, has criticised the council’s approach.

Speaking last month, he said:

“The council needs to make sure these spaces can be used by people if they are not being used by people with electric vehicles.

“If they are sat empty it benefits nobody. Businesses are losing out on customers and the council is losing out on thousands of pounds of revenue.”

The petition can be signed in Sheer Bliss, Nottingham Jewellers, Hirsts Bakery, The School and Dance Shop and Kelly Teggin Hair and Beauty in Knaresborough.

North Yorkshire Council has been approached for comment.

Petition launched to reopen Ripon cinema

A petition has been launched calling for Ripon’s only cinema to be reopened.

The Curzon closed on July 1 after the company said the venue had “specific challenges” and was “not suited to the long-term direction we have taken”.

Sterne Properties, which owns the site on North Street, has suggested the venue could be run as a community project with one cinema screen remaining.

However, a petition has been launched calling for the cinema to be reopened.

Adam Cordiner, who launched the campaign called Save Ripon Cinema, said he was “deeply disappointed” by Curzon’s decision to cease operating the venue.

He added he hoped the petition would help to highlight the community’s love for the site and that an operator would step in to reopen it as a cinema.

Mr Cordiner said:

“The Ripon cinema is treasured by its local community.

“Adored not only by film lovers, but by writers and artists who regularly came to open-mic nights at the cinema to share ideas, discuss topical artistic ideas and to encourage the next generation of thinkers and creators in this important and historic area.”

At the time of publication, the petition had attracted 48 signatures.

Mr Cordiner added that although there were proposals from Sterne Properties to turn the venue into a community project, he felt there was “no guarantee of this happening”.

He said:

“We love the cinema and want it to be saved. Perhaps another operator may step in if we get some publicity.”

For more information on the petition, visit the iPetition page here.

Mum of boy seriously injured on school run in Harrogate issues plea for 20mph limit

The mother of a 15-year-old boy seriously injured in a collision on the way to school in Harrogate has issued an emotional plea for road safety improvements.

Stephanie Talbot’s son Reuben was one of two Rossett School students hit by a pick-up truck on Yew Tree Lane on February 2.

Four months on from the collision, she has given her backing to a campaign to impose a 20mph limit on streets across a swathe of south and west Harrogate.

In a statement read by road safety campaigner and fellow parent Jenny Marks at today’s meeting of North Yorkshire Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, she said:

“They were on the pavement [when they were hit]. My daughter was also involved in the collision as her car was hit by the same truck. My youngest son was right behind his brother on the pavement and so witnessed the whole incident.

“My husband and I were right there within a few minutes of the accident happening. Reuben’s body had landed in positions it should never be in.

“Pieces of wall had to be removed from his body and he had eight broken bones: arms, leg and back… I was later told that when the paramedics arrived his stats showed that he could easily have died while on the ground there.

“I will never get over what I saw and heard that day.”

Some members of the committee were moved to tears as Dr Marks continued to read Ms Talbot’s statement.

It said her daughter had never felt safe walking to school in the area and had even been hit by a car near Rossett Sports Centre last September – which also happened while she was on the path.

Ms Talbot said she felt a 20mph network around schools in Harrogate would make children and parents feel safer to walk and cycle around the area, adding:

“Putting action in place should not be done as a consequence to a child’s injury or even death, but this accident should be a wake-up call to all parents, grandparents and the community to know that we need to make a change in our beautiful but busy town to enable our children to feel safe.

“Seventeen weeks on and many aspects of our lives are still on hold because of these injuries. I cannot even explain the pain and trauma that we have all gone through and will live with for the rest of our lives.

“Please be the people that make a difference.”

Petition

Campaigners Hazel Peacock and Vicki Evans presented a petition at the meeting with 924 signatures from people in support of reducing the speed limit to 20mph across the Oatlands, Hookstone, Pannal Ash and St George’s areas, where around 9,000 children attend local schools.

Ms Peacock told the meeting that evidence from other projects around the UK showed the reduction could have a significant impact on the severity of collisions.

She added:

“You have just heard of the devastating effects of the collision on Yew Tree Lane in February, and you are also aware of the collision outside Oatlands Junior School, also on the pavement, in January.

“These awful events coupled with overwhelming evidence of the benefits of 20mph limits demonstrate why change is urgently needed.”

Hazel Peacock handed the petition to North Yorkshire Council last month, with support from councillors and campaigners

While councillors on all sides of the chamber gave their support to the calls for a reduced speed limit, the Conservatives highlighted the fact that a pilot project had already been requested.

North Yorkshire Council is developing a policy on 20mph limits around schools and other urban areas, and Cllr John Mann (Conservative, Oatlands and Pannal) said he was keen to see the results of that work guide how a lower speed limit could be used in the area.

Conservative Cllr Sam Gibbs of the Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate division said:

“I do have one very slight reservation: 99% of the roads that are in this scheme I don’t have an issue with. However, the main roads of Leeds Road and Otley Road would be a slight concern to me if they were brought in to 20mph.”

Cllr Paul Haslam, the Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said there needed to be a shift in attitudes and behaviours to make the school run safer, adding:

“We can put in a 20mph speed limit, but at the end of the day it’s all about behavioural and attitude changes to this. When we did the stats on Harrogate in 2018, I think more than 60% of the journeys in this town are less than 1.8km – not even miles, 1.8km.

“Surely we should be able to walk those distances, and a lot of that is to do with school commuting.”

The Liberal Democrats put forward a motion in support of the petition, calling on North Yorkshire Council to deliver a 20mph limit on streets across the area.

The proposal was voted through and will be passed to NYC’s executive.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Matt Walker, representing the Knaresborough West division, added:

“This is an opportunity that we should not miss and we need to show the executive our views on this.

“This tragedy should not have happened and it’s within our gift to send that message on our views to the executive so that this does not happen to anybody else.”

Petition set up objecting to £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway

An online petition has been set up against the planned £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway project.

The scheme would see the biggest change to the town centre for decades, including traffic on a 300-metre stretch of Station Parade being reduced to single lane so cycle lanes can be built and part of James Street pedestrianised.

Senior North Yorkshire councillors will meet to make a final decision on the project on May 30 after Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors voted to support it.

However, a petition against the scheme has attracted 191 signatures at the time of writing.

Rachael Inchboard, of the Granville Road Residents Group, set up the Change.org petition in objection to the gateway project.

The petition says the scheme would “irreversibly damage Harrogate” and adds that the signatories have “no confidence” in officers or the executive at North Yorkshire Council, which is leading the proposals.

Ms Inchboard said:

“Reducing the main A61 road through the centre of the town to a single lane, together with other proposals such as the partial closure of James Street, will hamper access by emergency vehicles, increase congestion and pollution, force cars and all other vehicles onto other roads and have an extremely detrimental effect on both the residential and business areas.

“The whole premise of the scheme is nonsense and will irreversibly damage Harrogate.

“Those who live and work in the town centre are not being listened to. Our voices must be heard.”

The move comes as Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for highways at the council, welcomed the decision by Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors to support the proposals.

Following a three-hour meeting at Harrogate’s Civic Centre on May 5, councillors backed the scheme by 10 votes to 3.

Cllr Duncan, who has had responsibility for transport on the Conservative authority’s executive since Don Mackenzie retired last year, said he was pleased councillors from opposition parties came together to back the project.

He said:

“I welcome the positive, cross-party support expressed for the gateway project. The majority of councillors recognised the importance of securing this £11m investment and the transformative impact the project could have for Harrogate.

“Their support gives the executive the ability to proceed to the next stage. Input and oversight provided by local councillors will be incredibly valuable, now and into the future.”

Harrogate school road safety petition handed in to council

A petition calling for a 20 mph limit to be imposed on streets across the south of Harrogate has been delivered to North Yorkshire Council today.

Asking the council to consider the blanket limit across Rossett, Pannal Ash, Oatlands, Woodlands and Hookstone, the petition attracted more than 900 signatures.

It was set up by parents concerned about children’s safety when travelling to schools in the area, and gained the backing of groups including Harrogate District Cycle Action and Zero Carbon Harrogate.

Hazel Peacock, who delivered the petition this morning on behalf of the campaigning parents, said:

“We’re just delighted we’ve got this number of signatures. It shows the support for the proposal of this change, which could bring such positive benefits from a road safety perspective.

“Once you have that, it will change people’s attitudes in regard to comfort around walking, cycling and mobility users.”

She handed the petition to Elizabeth Jackson, democratic services manager for North Yorkshire Council.

After surpassing the required 500 signatures, it will now be debated by the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee.

Councillors John Mann, Pat Marsh and Michael Schofield, whose divisions cover the area of the proposed speed restriction and supported the restriction, all sit on the committee and handed over the petition with Hazel this morning.

Cllr Mann, whose Oatlands and Pannal division includes three primary schools, Ashville College and several nurseries and pre-schools, said:

“There is an urgent need in particular for a 20 mph limit for Yew Tree Lane, Green Lane, Hookstone Road, and Beechwood Grove, all of which are used by large numbers of children going to and from local schools, and I have emphasised this to the highways team at the council.

“In relation to the A61 Leeds Road, I have also written to the head of highways, Cllr Keane Duncan, to request that the 50 mph speed limit on Almsford Bank be reduced to 40 mph to reduce competitive speeding, and to improve road safety for schoolchildren using the pavements along the A61 near to the neighbourhoods of Stone Rings, the Fulwiths, and the Firs.

“The current risks to pedestrians using the A61 in this area were highlighted in January when a driver managed to overturn his car and demolish a 30mph sign at the top of Almsford Bank in the morning rush hour. In the same month, another vehicle overturned due to speeding in the early morning rush hour on Hookstone Road close to the junction with Hornbeam Park Avenue.”

The demolished 30 mph sign on Leeds Road

Cllr Mann said he would prefer the A61 Leeds Road to maintain its 30 mph limit through Oatlands in order to ease traffic flow, but that a reduction in the limit elsewhere was “urgently needed”.

He referenced a collision on Yew Tree Lane in which two 15-year-old boys from Rossett School were seriously injured, and another collision on Beechwood Grove which left an Oatlands Junior School pupil requiring hospital treatment – both of which happened while the children were on the pavement.

He added:

“These shocking events, combined with evidence showing that more than 10 children are killed or seriously injured in road crashes every week travelling to school, demonstrate the case for immediate action.

“With thousands of pupils travelling to and from the schools and colleges of south and west Harrogate during the week, implementing a maximum speed of 20mph in these areas has the potential to increase safety significantly.

“I really hope that this petition is looked upon favourably by the North Yorkshire Council highways team.”

Malcolm Margolis, a member of Harrogate District Cycle Action, said reducing the speed limit would also make cycling a safer option for many families travelling to and from schools.

He said:

“It’s a terrific initiative by Hazel and the others. It’s absolutely needed in this area of Harrogate and we hoe it will be the start of it becoming normalised.

“In other countries, it’s just normal. You see parents and grandparents picking up children on their bikes. There’s no reason why we should be different.

“In a calmer 20mph environment, it’s so much more pleasant for anyone who isn’t in a car. In an urban area, it actually makes very little difference to journey times.”

Cllr Marsh, who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone for the Liberal Democrats, said she also backed the plan, and hoped it would be supported by North Yorkshire Police.

She added:

“I’ve been supporting this idea for a very long time. My late husband and I got a 20mph limit put outside Hookstone Chase Primary School and some of the residential streets close by well over 15 years ago.

“My only issue is I wish the police would monitor it, because if they don’t, motorists know it and will ignore it. We can’t put our children at risk.”

Council’s lukewarm response

‘We should encourage girls to stay active’

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