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19
May 2021
'Make traffic two-way on Parliament Street and West Park'
Malcolm Neesam, who has written several books about the town, believes reintroducing two-way traffic on the two key routes would ease congestion at a time when town centre transport is under the spotlight.
Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam has called on North Yorkshire County Council to explore making West Park and Parliament Street open to traffic from both directions.
The two adjoining roads have been one-way for 50 years since the layout changed in 1970.
Mr Neesam, who has written several books on the town, believes returning the roads to how they used to be could be a solution to the town's congestion problems.
Station Gateway
Traffic flow in Harrogate has been under the spotlight in recent months due to the £7.9m Station Gateway proposals, which could reduce Station Parade to one lane and pedestrianise part of James Street under plans yet to be decided
Some fear that it would have implications for the rest of Harrogate town centre and would exacerbate tailbacks on Station Parade, Cheltenham Parade, King's Road and back to Parliament Street and West Park.
Mr Neesam believes that changing the road layout would "free up" traffic to flow more easily through town.
He also said it could benefit delegates visiting Harrogate Convention Centre, who would have better access to the town centre.
He said North Yorkshire County Council had long opposed reintroducing two-way traffic but called on the highways authority to reconsider.
He said:
"I'm very much in favour of making the roads two-way. It already works on Leeds Road and Ripon Road.
"They were built as a two-way system in the 18th century.
"It's quite logical and would free up Station Parade and Cheltenham Parade."
Read more:
- Is there any consensus on Harrogate’s £7.9m Station Gateway project?
- Harrogate cycle groups back one-lane Station Parade plan
In response, Don Mackenzie, the county council's executive member for access and the Conservative councillor for Harrogate Saltergate, said he "wouldn't rule it out forever" but was lukewarm on the idea.
He said:
"Many people will recall that in the 50s and 60s there was two-way traffic on West Park and Parliament Street. But this was when vehicle numbers were far less than today.
"Look at West Park and Parliament Street today — it's difficult to imagine it being two-way with the amount of traffic the two lanes get."
Cllr Mackenzie also rejected suggestions the Station Gateway proposals would significantly increase congestion in the town. He said:
"It's likely to happen to a small extent, but the numbers suggested are very small."
A radical history
Plans to make West Park and Parliament Street one-way were first drawn up in the 1960s by the former West Riding and Harrogate councils.
It was intended to be the first of a five-phase plan to radically alter the road network and would have involved the creation of dual carriageways and flyovers in Harrogate town centre.
However, the rest of the plan was scrapped following massive public opposition.
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