MPs join forces to deliver sharp traffic attack on county council

North Yorkshire County Council’s £750,000 plans, to semi-pedestrianise a section of the A61 running through Harrogate town centre and divert traffic around it, have sparked a furious reaction among traders and residents who claim it will cause total gridlock.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has now moved to condemn the proposals as “nonsensical”.

And last night his fellow Conservative, Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams, also waded in to attack the county council over fresh delays to a massive programme of road repairs in Selby, which started last month.

The Selby swing bridge, which has been shut to vehicles for 14 weeks, until mid-May, will now remain closed for a further two weeks. At the same time 10 weeks of large-scale repairs was started on Doncaster Road – one of the town’s main thoroughfares.

“This is another blow to the town”, said Mr Adams.

“There is a feeling that the county council does not have an appreciation of the town centre and how business traders here operate.

“There seems to be an absolute lack of understanding of how businesses here work.

“I have an enormous amount of sympathy with the small businesses in Selby and North Yorkshire which are affected.”

The Harrogate plans are part of a massive £2.5m overhaul of the district’s transport network, one of 28 transport strategies being developed by the county council throughout North Yorkshire.

It is hoped the changes will pave the way for a major interchange to be built linking the rail and bus stations.

But the furious level of response has prompted the county council to announce yesterday it was extending the consultation period for another month.

Mr Jones, who is soon to meet county council executive member for highways Gareth Dadd, to discuss the proposals, said: “These plans are nonsensical.

“To send traffic scooting all round town, through residential areas, past two elderly persons’ residences and through two new sets of traffic lights, is a recipe for traffic chaos.

“The amount of opposition, from residents and traders alike, is gathering pace.

“I am sure the county council will listen carefully and I hope they will abandon the plans.”

Sue Kramer, who runs Crown Jewellers of Harrogate, on Commercial Street, and is helping to co-ordinate the protest among traders, said: “The impact of these plans on Harrogate is going to be enormous, both for the residents,, whose journey is going to be so convoluted, and businesses who are going to be hit by a massive loss in town centre parking.

“If it is more difficult for people to come into Harrogate to shop, then they are going to stop shopping.

“It is going to be really detrimental to the town.”

Other works planned in the proposals, include the introduction of one-way routes in some town centre roads, a new cycle route in Knaresborough, improved pedestrian crossings and an action-plan to address Air Quality Management Areas including Bond End, Knaresborough.

The county council says the proposals to semi-pedestrianise part of Station Parade and divert traffic onto Cheltenham Mount before looping around and joining the A61, were first mooted by Harrogate Council.

A spokesman added the Selby bridge repairs have been extended as the damage was worse than previously thought.

He promised a free bus service laid on to overcome travel difficulties would be kept going until it was opened.

For more information on the Harrogate plans, visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/harrogatetransport.