Stray Views: Stop this Wetherby Road traffic madness!

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Wetherby Road recycling queue is dangerous

Again today, I found that travelling south on Wetherby Road, beyond Hookstone, was compromised by cars queuing to access the waste site.
Vehicles queuing on a main arterial road is dangerous, to say the least. The volume of traffic along that road means that any obstruction creates long tailbacks very quickly.
Reduced access to the waste site through reduced spaces for cars within the site, and an intimidating audit now being taken of each driver before they are allowed to drop their waste, has exacerbated the queuing problem.
This congestion is cause for concern, as frustrated drivers are moving into the middle of the road to avoid the queue, which is endangering drivers coming into Harrogate, not to mention the increased pollution being generated in an already highly polluted area.

Nick Bentley, Knaresborough

Council pay rises would be a joke

Your piece on Harrogate Borough Council pay rises is an insult to the people who live in the town.

Harrogate Borough Council is the worst council for spending money on its ‘vanity project’ council buildings. It is a joke.

The council ignores important issues that its council tax payers have. The people sitting in their ivory tower don’t deserve anything.

Susan Mitchell, Harrogate

Stop these proposed changes to Harrogate

My husband and I enjoy the articles from the Stray Ferret: they are accurate, to the point, and echo the views of people like myself who have lived most of my life within a five-to-seven mile radius of Harrogate town centre.

We have, nevertheless, travelled abroad many times during our 52 years of married life living in close proximity to this lovely town. Some of the proposed changes to the town are just not appropriate – if only Councillor Mackenzie would listen to the views of residents of Harrogate and its outskirts. Surely, the government cannot allow them to go ahead?

Pat Perry, Kirkby Overblow

The great rewilding debate: grass-cutting or cost-cutting?

I love the long and lovely wild verges – they don’t need to be cut at all, except at junctions to let drivers exit side roads safely.

Helen Barclay, Harrogate

Do you really believe that this is anything to do with being eco friendly? It’s about cost-cutting.

The grass verges where l live are prime dumping ground for dog excrement. The verges are unsightly and the result looks like we live in a dump.

Jen Dent, Harrogate

I love the council’s efforts to allow biodiversity to gain ground on the Stray! Keep it up!

Ann Broderick, Harrogate

Deliberately planting colourful wildflowers brings the Stray to life. Looks fabulous.

Leaving roadside verges uncut and scruffy is just another lazy wheeze to short-change council taxpayers.

If you park your car next to them you get wet trying to get into your car in the morning. Several residents on Coppice Drive have taken the obvious action.

Tim Emmott, Harrogate

Wild verges looks amazing, nature always needs more help these days.

Perhaps a few wildflower seeds added will give it a lift for those who think it is just a scruffy look.

Encouraging wildlife in the centre of town is is very uplifting.

Jen Mackay, Harrogate

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Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

 

Stray Views: police pledge to tackle fast and noisy cars is hollow

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Police speed clampdown is a joke

The police pledge to clamp down on fast and noisy cars in Harrogate is beyond a joke. My wife and I live in Hartwith Drive, a street that has a supposed 20mph speed limit… or so the signage indicates.

Several years ago I attempted to encourage the police and council to take steps towards enforcing the limit. A speed monitor was attached to a street lamp-post and data downloaded. I still hold a copy of the results.

North Yorkshire Police’s deputy chief constable, however, made clear that it did not support 20mph. The irrelevant police commissioner also gave absolutely no support to our case. Years later and cars and motorbikes are still driven, frequently, at well over the 20mph limit. We can regularly hear the unmistakable sound of speeding vehicles within earshot from Ripon Road.

The police should be taking a hardline stance against the problem of speeding vehicles but the sad fact is that they need support from the public and that may well be sadly lacking. There is no point the police making bold statements if they are not prepared to follow them up with action.

Tim Walls, Jennyfields

Boy racers are a daily occurrence

Prior to the recent crash on Mayfield Grove, we have for many years suffered from boy racers tearing up and down our road. Most seem to have removed the baffles from the exhaust.

Every day we have about six cars speeding up and down Mayfield Grove and going up Franklin Road. You can also hear them racing up King’s Road.

I will shortly be setting up a Mayfield Grove and Mayfield Terrace residents association with other neighbours who are concerned about the speeding cars, cars being damaged and drug dealing in the area.

Paul Ivison, Mayfield Grove, Harrogate

If anyone would like to join this association email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk and we will pass on your details to Mr Ivison.

Rewilding is great – but plastic flowers are awful

I was heartened by the positive responses to the rewilding of the Stray, which I certainly welcome.

Those who feel that the horticultural prestige of the town is threatened by borders of wild flowers would be far better focusing their ire on the proliferation of plastic garlands, which appear to be the latest ‘must-have’ outdoor decorations at bars and shops around the town.

Not only are they no match for the real thing in terms of attractiveness, they also produce yet more plastic pollution at a time of increasing environmental awareness.

Yes, hanging baskets and tubs take time and energy to maintain but are well worth the effort and I know which most visitors would prefer to see. For a town that’s been a Britain in Bloom gold medal winner, it’s a disappointing new trend.

Gillian Parkin, Harrogate

Great to see wildflowers on the Stray

I’d like to add my support to Harrogate Borough Council on its rewilding efforts.

We need more wildflowers everywhere. The Stray has previously been kept as an ecological desert.

Encouraging wildflowers can only be good for our local insect life and should be widely supported on purely scientific grounds.

Well done Harrogate Borough Council on being led by the science!

Charlie McCarthy, Harrogate

Don’t let Harrogate become a dead town

I was shocked to find all parking both sides of James Street blocked with boxes full of plants.

Only three places were available for blue badge holders. Thankfully, I have a blue badge and parked. Ironically there were some signs saying SHOP LOCAL. Well, people would if they could park.

I know several who go to Northallerton now: easy parking and free in many places. The shops are having a bad time and have been for 14 months. Some have closed and gone.

Please don’t subject us to being a dead town. It’s so sad to see Harrogate’s style and variety taking a hard knock.

Christine Hill, Burton Leonard

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Big thumbs-up for Harrogate district’s new wild look

Our story yesterday about the Harrogate district being left to grow wild to improve biodiversity and attract bees, birds and insects provoked a huge amount of interest.

Harrogate Borough Council has left large swathes of green spaces untouched by mowers and strimmers.

Even the neat and orderly Stray has a different look to previous years.

It’s a thorny subject for the district, which prides itself on its well tended, floral appearance.

Almost 100 people commented on our Facebook page, and the vast majority gave the new approach the thumbs-up.

One person praised the wildflower “anarchy” on display.

“I love it! Wild flowers are never untidy – just a bit anarchic!!”

‘The wilder the better’

Another reader called Harrogate Borough Council “brave” for taking the new approach.

“The wilder the better for wildflowers, insects and other wildlife. Well done Harrogate Borough Council for taking such a brave approach and not bowing to the ‘tidy brigade’. Currently it’s only a tiny percentage of our green space but it’s a start!”

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Someone on our Twitter page said other parts of Harrogate were also looking better:

“It’s great – not just on The Stray but also in other places like along Wetherby Road near Woodlands. Looks great with the buttercups in flower.”

However, there were some dissenting voices. Several people accused the council of not cutting the grass to save money.

Another accused it of “hypocrisy” due to the scale of housebuilding in the district.

The Stray Ferret reported last year that green spaces the size of over 700 football pitches will be lost to housing.

“The crocuses and planted up flower beds also attract many bees and many insects but oh wait, the council are selling the horticulture nurseries on Harlow for yet more housing. 

“Total double standards but they they’ll cut maintenance costs and make money from developers.”

How wild is your neighbourhood? Send us pics and give us your views. Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Harrogate’s ‘rewilding’: untidy or biodiversity boon?

Harrogate district residents may have noticed the town is looking different this year — as swathes of green spaces, including on the Stray, have been left alone by mowers and strimmers so nature can grow free.

‘Rewilding’ is one of the words of the moment, with councils across the country hoping to improve biodiversity and attract bees, birds and insects.

The new look in Harrogate has been welcomed by many, who see it as a sign that Harrogate Borough Council, which manages our parks and green spaces, is serious about improving biodiversity.

But others who cherish Harrogate’s long reputation for organised and elegant planting, believe it makes the town look untidy.

In the eye of the beholder

Shan Oakes from the Harrogate & District Green Party told the Stray Ferret that prim and proper Victorian-style floral displays can look old-fashioned.

In recent history, wildflower meadows have slipped into a dramatic decline as the species-rich grasslands are ploughed up for housing, farming and roads.

She said wildflowers will encourage pollinating bees as well as insects which can good food for birds.

“It’s excellent the council is thinking seriously about this from nature’s point of view.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It doesn’t have to be a mess.”

“One or two people might think it looks untidy and not respectful. But isn’t it more respectful to be kinder to nature?

“If bees go, we all go.”

‘Very unattractive’

Alison Freeman lives near the Stray but said rewilding makes the town look “untidy and unsightly”

She said she fears broken glass and bottles lurking in the undergrowth which she believes poses a safety risk.

“It’s very unattractive and it has the potential to be dangerous. Beer bottles could get dumped in the long grass.I t’s unusable and I can’t walk on it.

She criticised Harrogate Borough Council’s approach to grass cutting this year.

“Don’t they care about the town? They are driving Harrogate down.

“The whole verge by the West Park Stray looks like the council hasn’t bothered to look after it.

“Bees are important, we are not anti-bee. But I haven’t seen any bees on the buttercups by the Stray”.

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Judy D’Arcy Thompson from the Stray Defence Association took a more balanced approach to the issue.

She called rewilding “a very emotive subject with passions running high both for and against the wilding”.

She added:

“Our Stray is arguably Harrogate’s most important environmental asset and of tremendous benefit to the whole area. Throughout the past difficult months during the pandemic it has been an amazing green sanctuary for everyone to use.

“It is essential to strike a balance between the need for safeguarding and enhancing its ecological role alongside its open and free use by people.”

Great news for wildlife

As well as letting some areas grow free, Harrogate Borough Council recently planted 5,500 wildflower plugs on two areas of the Stray near Leeds Road and York Place. They were helped volunteers from Bilton Conservation Group.

A council spokesman said the new biodiversity areas will provide habitats and green corridors for some of the 1,500 species of insect pollinators across the district.

He added:

“Residents and visitors may have started to notice that some areas of the Harrogate district are being left to grow and not mown. 

“This is great news for wildlife as the longer grass and wildflowers will provide food and homes for pollinating insects, as well as supporting our aim of reducing our carbon footprint.

“As well as leaving specific areas to grow and encourage biodiversity, we have also planted – with the help of volunteers – more than 5,000 wildflower plugs on specific areas of the Stray in Harrogate.

“We’ll be keeping an eye on how things progress and will be providing regular updates on social media channels.”