Harrogate Councillors to discuss plans for Harrogate’s Station Gateway Project and then have a meaningless vote on it

North Yorkshire Council Area Committee (the local elected councillors) will discuss and vote on plans for Harrogate’s Station Gateway on 5 May 2023.

The vote will not be binding on if the scheme continues, that committee has been given that power.

This has created confusion as on 25 March 2023, Cllr Keane Duncan said that 5 May 2023 is decision day.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said:

A full report will be prepared for the ACC on May 5. Local councillors will be asked to give their view on whether they want it to go ahead.

We have plans finalised, traffic regulation orders are out for consultation and full funding for the project is secured.

May 5 is the decision day basically. Councillors will say if they want it to proceed, or whether they want the c.£11m to be spent elsewhere.

The project is part of a £42 million Transforming Cities Fund investment within North Yorkshire, with the aim to enhance station gateways in Harrogate, Selby and Skipton.

The aim is to increase access to jobs, education, healthcare and leisure facilities, while improving health and wellbeing by enabling easier walking and cycling and making the town more welcoming to residents, visitors and businesses – it is not clear how any of those objectives are achieved though.

North Yorkshire Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority are working together on the Harrogate scheme.

Local councillors will only be asked to endorse the Station Gateway proposal at Harrogate and Knaresborough’s area constituency meeting next Friday (5 May 2023). The meeting will also update the committee and gather views on the necessary traffic regulation orders required for the scheme on James Street and Station Parade.

The committee has no formal role in the decision on the scheme itself, it is a meeting to listen to their views.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said:

Localism is a key priority of the new council so it is important to seek the views of area committee councillors on the Gateway project.

The scheme represents a landmark investment aiming to rejuvenate the town centre, support business and encourage people to travel more sustainably.

We are seeking support from local councillors, elected by and accountable to the people of Harrogate and Knaresborough, so we can move forward and seize this transformational £11.2 million opportunity.

Keane Duncan The Localism Act, which seeks to give effect to the Government’s ambitions to decentralise power away from Whitehall and back into the hands of local councils, communities and individuals to act on local priorities. What is not clear though is if it is being used as a term for a grab for power by a few at County Council, rather than giving any devolved power to councillors that have been voted for by the public. This issue then creates questions over the powers that a potential Harrogate Council may have if it goes ahead.

Amongst the changes to traffic regulation orders, there is a proposed amendment to the one-way order in the southbound direction on Station Parade. It would see the restriction extended to the junction with Bower Road and introduce an exemption for cyclists. It is also proposed to implement a northbound one-way system on Cheltenham Mount between Cheltenham Parade and Mount Parade.

Under the plans, a bus lane would be installed on the northern section of Station Parade and a pedestrian zone introduced on James Street between Princes Street and Station Parade which would be closed to all traffic between 10.30am and 4pm daily.

Three public consultations were carried out for the scheme, which includes improved access to public transport connections such as the train station and bus stops, and facilities for walking and cycling and improvements to public spaces.

The third round of consultation was held last year. It attracted nearly double the responses of the previous consultations, resulting in 2,044 surveys and more than 5,000 individual comments.

A higher percentage of people taking part were in support of the proposals with 45 per cent positive, nine per cent neutral and 46 per cent negative.

Most respondents agreed the proposals would make the town centre more attractive to residents and visitors, have a positive impact on business and encourage active travel.

A report on the Gateway scheme will be presented to North Yorkshire Council’s executive on 30 May 2023.

If the scheme is given the go-ahead, the final business case would need to be approved by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to release the funding, with construction expected to begin before the end of the year.