North Yorkshire Council was awarded funding to deliver a scheme on Victoria Avenue through Active Travel England ATF2 in November 2020. Since then, design development work has been ongoing and North Yorkshire Council is now seeking views on this proposed scheme.
Please see attached draft plan 70112349-WSP-GEN-VA-DR-000 showing the current proposals. (at the end of this news item)
Budgetary constraints mean that the previously envisaged cycle lanes cannot be included within this initial phase of this Victoria Avenue scheme.
Following advice from Active Travel England, council say they have concentrated on improvements for pedestrians and improvements to the public realm.
The works are summarised below:
- Signalisation of the pedestrian crossing at the junction Victoria Avenue and Station Parade to add a pedestrian phase,
upgrade of existing uncontrolled crossing at the junction of Victoria Avenue and West Park to a signalised pedestrian crossing - addition of tactile paving across all side roads,
- a new bus stop located outside the United Reformed Church and associated paving upgrades
- relocation of the existing staggered zebra crossing and introduction of an in-line Zebra crossing (subject to TRO consultation)
- removal of parking bays where required to facilitate access to a proposed bus stop (subject to a separate Traffic Regulation Order Consultation)
- “Left Turn Only” proposed from Belford Road (subject to a separate Traffic Regulation Order Consultation)
- Improvements to existing paving and benches
- Improved decorative street and footway lighting
- New ticket machines for kerb side parking bays
- Layout improvements to help prevent vehicles from making the illegal straight ahead movement from Beech Grove to Victoria Avenue
Council say that the works proposed support North Yorkshire Councils desire and vision in reducing car use in and around Harrogate Town Centre, will promoting that people walk and cycle. This scheme proposes a number of measures to increase pedestrian safety as well as improved bus provision.
The proposed works will not prevent the installation of the cycle lanes in the future, and this will be the ambition within a future funding bid. North Yorkshire Council has said it is committed to delivering a cycle scheme on Victoria Avenue.
Subject to a successful consultation and detailed design exercise, it is hoped that this initial phase of works will be delivered in Autumn 2024.
Please send your comments through to Area6.Boroughbridge@northyorks.gov.uk using ‘Victoria Avenue ATF 2 Consultation’ in the title of your email or letter. Postal comments are to be sent to :
NYC Highways
Area 6 Boroughbridge Office
Stump Cross
Boroughbridge
YO51 9HU
This consultation will run from 15 April to 5 May 2024.
There will be a engagement session located at the below location from 5-7pm on the evening of Tuesday 7 May where we would invite you to find out more about the scheme.
NYC officers will be in attendance as well as representatives from the design team.
Stray Room
St Luke’s Mount,
Harrogate
HG1 2AE
