On Thursday, 7 December 2017, the County Council’s Harrogate Area Committee will consider a report recommending approval of a public consultation about congestion in and around Harrogate and Knaresborough and how best to address it.
North Yorkshire County Council say this is a significant issue for Harrogate, Knaresborough and surrounding areas and anticipating wide public interest.
The report examining the evidence relating to congestion, its impact and options for consultation will be published with the Area Committee agenda on Thursday, 30 November 2017.
The County Council understands local concerns about congestion and the resulting delays and unreliable journey times for residents, workers, businesses and visitors. Despite having invested in road improvement schemes in Harrogate in recent years, the County Council recognises the need to examine larger scale improvement to help Harrogate solve the problems facing it now and in the future.
The study has investigated the causes and impact of congestion and considered what measures could be taken to support the sustainable housing and economic growth of Harrogate and Knaresborough, improve the quality of life for people living in the area, protect and enhance the environment and improve east to west connectivity along the A59.
The report will set out the finding that, as a result of significant growth, both town centres are experiencing traffic congestion, extreme at times, leading to delays and unreliable journey times both in the town centre and on surrounding routes, and that this growth is expected to continue.
It will also set out a number of options to address congestion, including sustainable transport improvements, measures to manage demand on the roads and the construction of a relief road.
Subject to the Area Committee’s decision, the next step would be a three-month public consultation beginning later in December in which the County Council would invite anyone who lives, works or travels in the Harrogate and Knaresborough areas to give their views on the findings of the report and their preferred solutions. This would be followed by more detailed examination of the preferred options that emerged from the consultation.
