In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we’re looking at road safety.
The issue of road safety came under the Stray Ferret’s spotlight a lot this year.
With several fatal and serious crashes, campaigns for 20mph speed limit zones and “landmark” road safety packages, it has been a year of ups and downs on our highways.
20mph speed limits
Pannal Ash and Oatlands
A collision that left two school students with serious injuries prompted a group of Harrogate parents to bolster plans to implement 20mph speed zones around parts of the town.
The incident, which happened in February, left two 15-year-old Rossett School pupils requiring several operations and hospital treatment for months after.
Following the collision, the group, who were already campaigning for such change, amped up their efforts.
They set up a petition, which called for a ‘safe streets zone’, consisting of a blanket 20mph speed limit across the Rossett, Pannal Ash, Oatlands, Woodlands and Hookstone areas.
It attracted more than 900 signatures and caught the attention of 13 education leader and local councillors, who joined forces with the group and urged North Yorkshire Council to take action.
The petition was delivered to the council in May.
Hazel Peacock, who spearheaded the campaign and delivered the petition on behalf of the group, told the Stray Ferret on the day:
“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.”
The road safety group.
Woodfield Road
The council also recommended a separate 20mph speed limit plan for Woodfield Road in the Bilton area of Harrogate.
The project, funded through the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s AJ1 project road safety fund, will see the introduction of traffic calming measures, including speed cushions and a 20mph speed limit.
Cllr Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, told the Stray Ferret in November the measures were being taken “for the safety of children” ahead of the former Woodfield Road Community Primary School re-opening.
The school, which closed at the end of last year, is due to reopen as a secondary school for 80 autistic children in September 2024.
No further updates have been revealed since publication.
‘Landmark’ package unveiled
Following calls for change, North Yorkshire Council unveiled plans for the county’s largest ever “landmark” 20mph zone in September.
It proposed extensive reduced speed limit zones across the Pannal Ash and Oatlands areas of the town, which included Arthurs Avenue, Oatlands Drive, Yew Tree Lane and Cromwell Road.
It covered seven Harrogate schools in line with the parents’ wishes.
These were Harrogate Grammar School, Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School, Ashville College, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Oatlands Junior School and Oatlands Infants School.
Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for highways and transport, said at the time:
“This is the most significant 20mph zone the council has ever introduced.
“Our plan will see 20mph limits introduced outside seven more schools and on nearby residential streets, meaning thousands of children can enjoy safer journeys every day.
“This landmark proposal is testament to the collective determination of schools, families and councillors to respond to public concerns and deliver ambitious action. It sets a positive example and leads the way for communities across North Yorkshire.”
Cllr Keane Duncan.
Headteacher called for Otley Road to be included
After the package was announced, Neil Renton, headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School (HGS), called for a section of Otley Road to also be included in the 20mph zone.
Arthurs Avenue and surrounding side roads were set to be included in the reduced speed limit zone to protect HGS pupils, however Mr Renton said the zone should be extended to include the busy B6162 Otley Road where pupils enter the school.
He said this is a key route in-and-out of town and currently has a limit of 30mph.
The call came after council officers published a report ahead of a Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency meeting, during which Mr Renton’s concerns were expressed, which stated the “volume of traffic” on the road would mean it would not be possible to implement the 20mph speed limit.
Plans rejected
Despite hopes of change from teachers, councillors and campaigners, North Yorkshire Council rejected plans to include some of the main roads in the 20mph zone.
Following a December meeting, it appeared Leeds Road, Wetherby Road, Otley Road, Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, York Place and Leadhall Lane would not be included in the plan.
A report due before Cllr Duncan said the main roads were either identified as “strategic distributor” or “main distributor” roads, adding:
“Practically given the recognised role in the strategic network and their function to carry high volumes of traffic between primary destinations it is not considered appropriate to implement physical traffic calming features and an associated speed reduction to 20mph.”
Meanwhile, the council said Leadhall Lane “does not have identified destination points such as schools, shops or sports centre” and a 20mph limit would be “difficult to achieve”.
A map of the 20mph areas in Pannal and Oatlands. Picture: North Yorkshire Council.
‘Incredibly disappointed’
Christopher Harrison, headteacher at Oatlands Infant School, said he was “incredibly disappointed” with the news.
He hoped the council would reconsider and reduce the speed limit on Hookstone Road to 20mph from 30mph, adding:
“As headteacher of Oatlands Infant School, I am incredibly disappointed by the decision to keep Hookstone Road at 30mph.
“We have a healthy, active school community who love to walk, cycle and scooter to school alongside Hookstone Road on a daily basis.
“We worry that the current speed limit of 30mph is not safe enough for our children, and that a reduction to 20mph would enable more families to travel to school in safety. We hope that North Yorkshire Council reconsider this decision with our youngest, most vulnerable members of our community in mind.”
But Mr Harrison was not alone in his concern, as campaigner Hazel Peacock also urged the council to reconsider. She said:
“For the safety and well-being of the 9,000 school children and the wider community in Oatlands and Pannal Ash we urge North Yorkshire Council to reconsider the inclusion of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, Leadhall Lane, part of Leeds Rd (A61), Otley Rd (B6162), Wetherby Road (A661) and York Place (A6040) as 20mph in the Harrogate (south and west) 20mph Speed Limit review to be considered by Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transportation and mayoral candidate, on Monday 18th December.
“Without the inclusion of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, Otley Road and part of Wetherby Road specifically only five of the nine schools in the zone will be fully covered with 20mph roads immediately surrounding them; leaving St John Fishers Catholic High School and Willow Tree Primary School on 30mph roads and a combination of 30mph and 20mph in the case of Harrogate Grammar School and Oatlands Infant School.”
Next steps
The authority recommended the scheme, which is estimated to cost £200,000, proceed to consultation on traffic regulation orders for the areas proposed to be reduced to 20mph.
The recommendation was approved following an environmental meeting on Monday, December 18.
The council said in its decision:
“Approval given to allow officers to proceed; with the necessary consultations and Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process to seek to implement a 20mph speed limit, together with associated traffic calming measures as identified in the residential roads as outlined in Appendix A of the report and with signing and lining reviews of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive and Wetherby Road.”
It said officers are to provide the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee progress updates in Spring 2024.
The authority added:
“The recommendation aligns with several of the Council’s priorities linked with Highway Safety, Place and Environment and Health and Well Being.
“By introducing a reduced speed limit from 30mph to 20mph in these areas it is hoped that a safer and healthier environment will encourage enhanced active travel opportunities for all ages of the community, this may be walking, wheeling, accessibility to the bus or cycling.
“The introduction of such measures is subject to satisfactory consultation and the completion of the formal Traffic Regulation Order advertising process.”
A bad year for fatal collisions
The Harrogate district has seen several fatal crashes throughout this year, with one road becoming a common denominator in the incidents.
Four out of six fatal collisions happened on the A61, which runs between Ripon and Harrogate, two of which occurred within just eight days of each other.
A 59-year-old motorcyclist was killed on the road on August 29. Officers believe that the motorcyclist was travelling with a group of unknown motorcycles immediately before the collision and he was at the rear of the group.
Just a few days later, three members of a Ukrainian family were killed in a three-vehicle crash that involved a double decker bus on Sunday, September 3. A teenage girl was left orphaned.
Following the collisions, residents of South Stainley called for a speed limit reduction from 60mph to 50mph in October.
Rebecca Brewins, who lives alongside the road and lost her parents in a crash at South Stainley 11 years ago, led the campaign.
She and other residents met Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith, who subsequently urged North Yorkshire Council to act.
Richard Flinton, the council’s chief executive, indicated at the time the authority considered taking action.
In a letter to Mr Smith, seen by the Stray Ferret, Mr Flinton wrote:
“The reports for the recent fatal collisions are currently being drafted, but I am able to advise that the road environment was not considered to have been a factor in the cause of either fatal collision
“Therefore, the recommendations are limited to small scale localised improvements, such as the cleaning of road signs and refreshing of white lines.
“Nevertheless, in recognition of community concerns, North Yorkshire Council is currently carrying out a series of speed surveys along the A61, with a view to reducing the speed limit from 60mph to 50mph.
“Whilst mean speeds are unlikely to be excessive, the intention here is to set the expectations of the motorist, of the lack of overtaking opportunities, bends and other hazards associated with a high speed rural road.”
Police at the scene of the triple fatality on Sep 3 2023
Mr Flinton added the council was expected to consult on introducing a traffic regulation order to reduce the speed limit from the national default speed limit of 60mph.
He also said engineers will undertake “a full route analysis of the A61” to identify what else can be done to make the road safer.
Despite hopes of action being taken, another person was killed on the fated road just weeks later.
90-year-old Lucjan Wilk was hit by a car on the road, near Killinghall, after getting off the 36 bus.
His daughter, Paulina, whom he lived with, contacted the Stray Ferret to voice her concerns following her father’s death.
She urged North Yorkshire Council to reduce the speed limit on the “horrendous road”.
As well as suggesting a 30mph speed limit – instead of the current 40mph – Paulina also insisted the council should install proper lighting and introduce other traffic-calming measures, such as speed-indicator display signs.
It appears the requested measures are yet to come to fruition.
Lucjan Wilk was killed on the A61 near Killinghall.
Fatal collisions also happened on Brimham Rocks Road, near Pateley Bridge, North Park Road in Harrogate and the B6265 near Boroughbridge.
Read more:
- Police name victims of fatal A61 crash near Ripon
- Stray Views: Why no 20mph limit outside my children’s primary school?
Ripon councillors call for safety measure at ‘dangerous’ city centre junction
Ripon councillors are calling for new safety measures to be put in place near a city centre junction where four accidents have occurred in two years.
Concerns were raised at Monday night’s full city council meeting about the junction of Fishergate and Old Market Place, where a pedestrian was involved in an accident on the morning of September 1.
Councillor Eamon Parkin said:
“There have been four accidents here in two years and something needs to be done.”
A number of measures to make crossing the road safer for pedestrians were discussed, after Cllr Pauline McHardy proposed a zebra crossing be installed by North Yorkshire Council.
She said:
“This is a dangerous place for people to cross, but we could make it safer at little expense by putting white paint on the road.”
Councillors Barbara Brodigan and Andrew Williams, who represent Ripon on North Yorkshire Council, said the council doesn’t install zebra crossings any more.
Cllr Williams also said:
“The installation of a Pelican (light controlled) crossing would cost thousands of pounds and be unlikely to be approved.
“We do, however, need to ensure that people can cross the road safely and I recommend that we ask North Yorkshire to put signs on posts at the approaches to the junction that say ‘Beware Pedestrians Crossing’.”
Councillors agreed to write to North Yorkshire Council requesting that new measures be put in place to make the junction safer.
Read more:
Harrogate head welcomes plan for new crossing outside school
A Harrogate headteacher has welcomed plans to introduce a crossing point on the busy road outside the town’s largest primary school.
Tim Broad has campaigned for several years to improve safety outside Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road. Three years ago he spoke of his fears a child could be killed crossing the road to the 500-pupil school.
Mr Broad and parents lobbied hard for two vehicle-activated signs to be installed notifying drivers of their speed in the 20 miles per hour zone.
Now North Yorkshire Council has revealed plans to spend £10,000 creating a crossing point outside the school.
The crossing point would be uncontrolled, meaning it would not have traffic lights.
An uncontrolled crossing in Lincolnshire. Pic: copyright Bob Harvey
Mr Broad said:
“Obviously I support any measure which results in improved safety for our children and road users in general.
“I would have preferred a controlled crossing as this would be much safer – children will still be dependent upon drivers being aware and considerate as I assume there will be no compulsion for them to stop to allow people to cross at this point.
“This is also something we will have to make very clear to our pupils to ensure they don’t have the expectation that vehicles will stop.”
Western Primary School
Mr Broad said he was unaware of the precise location of the crossing or the timescale for completion. He said
“The only concern I have is around the potential narrowing of an already narrow and busy road.
“This is likely to cause congestion, with more vehicles stationary outside the school, emitting pollution and further damaging the air quality. It would be interesting to hear the thoughts of the planners on this issue.”
Read more:
- Landmark Harrogate road safety and transport package unveiled
- Western Primary School in Harrogate gets second speed sign
He added he “saw no reason” not to keep the vehicle activated speed signs outside the school and said he supported plans to introduce a 20mph speed limit around seven nearby schools but added:
Landmark Harrogate road safety and transport package unveiled“This needs to go hand in hand with efforts to change the culture of drivers in relation to these speed limits such that it becomes socially unacceptable to drive faster than 20 in these areas. Sadly, our experience on Cold Bath Road is that the majority of drivers, including a police van on Tuesday, ignore the signs.”
New speed limits will be introduced outside a series of schools in Harrogate under plans for North Yorkshire’s largest ever 20mph zone.
North Yorkshire Council today unveiled proposals for an extensive 20mph zone covering streets across the Pannal Ash and Oatlands areas of the town.
The proposed area for the new zone includes a total of seven schools in Harrogate.
These are Harrogate Grammar School, Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School, Ashville College, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Oatlands Junior School and Oatlands Infants School.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said:
“This is the most significant 20mph zone the council has ever introduced.
“Our plan will see 20mph limits introduced outside seven more schools and on nearby residential streets, meaning thousands of children can enjoy safer journeys every day.
“This landmark proposal is testament to the collective determination of schools, families and councillors to respond to public concerns and deliver ambitious action. It sets a positive example and leads the way for communities across North Yorkshire.”
A proposed £585,000 package of sustainable transport measures for the west of Harrogate has also been announced today.
The National Productivity Investment Fund package will be used to deliver parts of the new 20mph zone, as well as upgraded signals at the Cold Bath Road/Otley Road/Arthurs Avenue junction.
A crossing will be installed outside Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road.
There will also be improvements to bus stops along Otley Road, the crossing outside Falcon Chiropractic on Cold Bath Road, and a new crossing will be installed outside Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road.
Improvements will be made to cycle route signing, the crossing between Green Lane public right of way and Ashville College, and there will be new cycle parking and public realm improvements on Cold Bath Road. Nursery Lane will be upgraded to allow cyclists to use as an off-road leisure route.
Cllr Duncan said:
“We halted unpopular plans for phase two of the Otley Road cycleway to develop an alternative package of measures.
“This decision means we are now able to invest in signal improvements, new crossings, cycling improvements and new bus stops instead.
“This alternative package will be of immense and lasting benefit to all road users – motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and bus passengers.”
Read more:
- Trial scheme banning school run cars from Harrogate street launched today
- National pet retailer to open Harrogate store this month
Oatlands Junior School starts scheme
The first School Street initiative started today at Oatlands Junior School, whereby Beechwood Grove is closed to traffic at pick-up and drop-off times to create a safer environment and encourage more children to walk, cycle or scoot to school.
The pilot has been implemented for an experimental 18-month period to allow for its impact to be monitored and assessed. A decision will then be made whether to make the scheme permanent once a review has been carried out.
Members of the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee will be asked to provide feedback on the proposed 20mph and transport package at a meeting on Thursday, September 14.
The plans will then be considered for approval by Cllr Duncan, with the aim of implementing the measures early next year.