Still time to complete the Harrogate congestion study

There is still time to be involved with the Harrogate Congestion Study.

People make their views known at https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/harrogate-congestion-engagement until the 8 July 2019.

The proposals include plans for improved public transport, other traffic reduction measures, but most controversially a relief road that would take traffic from the southern bypass towards Killinghall. The bypass would look like and have a similar volume of traffic to the southern bypass and run between Bilton and the Nidd Gorge, close to the viaduct.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, North Yorkshire’s Executive Member for Highways, said:

With three weeks to go of the Harrogate Congestion Study Public Engagement, I am very pleased to confirm that NYCC has already had well over 9,000 replies. We are well on the way to achieving 10,000 replies by 8 July, a figure which I have always considered to be a satisfactory response rate on which to base future decisions.

The last of the seven public exhibitions was held at the Cairn Hotel on Saturday. Visitors who came along brought the total number of residents who attended to almost 1,000.

I remind all those persons who have not yet replied to submit their views now. That request is also directed towards businesses from whom very few opinions have been received so far.

Andrew Jones MP has always maintained a position of opposing the relief road option, but is encouraging people get involved.

Andrew Jones MP said:

My views on the issues raised in the Harrogate Congestion Study are fairly well-known.  I do not believe that a relief road through countryside near the Nidd Gorge is the right answer; I prefer the sustainable transport options.

And that is the great thing about the congestion study – we can choose.  We can show North Yorkshire County Council that we support sustainable transport measures – park and ride, electric vehicles, bus priority, segregated cycle ways and a variety of other schemes.  Or we can show them that we support different options.

So I am encouraging as many people as possible to take part in the Harrogate Congestion Study.  I hope they will support sustainable options over the relief road option but it is up to every individual to make their own decision based on the facts and their own interpretation of them in just the same way I have done.  So far many thousands have done so and, as we enter the final few weeks of the study, I hope many more will do so.