Hookstone Drive: Council rejects plea to create 20mph zone on “terrifying” road

Following the incident on Wednesday afternoon, the police issued a statement appealing for information after the man was left with serious head injuries. He was hit by a white BMW when using a pedestrian crossing near Hornbeam Park.

Hookstone Drive is particularly busy in mornings and afternoons and is used by children walking to St John Fisher Catholic High School, St Aidan’s CE High School and Oatlands Junior School. Motorists also travel through it when going between Leeds Road and Wetherby Road.

Road safety campaigner Hazel Peacock attended a meeting of councillors in Northallerton yesterday when she pleaded with the council to implement a 20mph zone on Hookstone Drive which she said can be “terrifying” for children.

Ms Peacock added that some parents who live in the nearby Saints area are too scared to let their children walk to school on the road so drive them instead.

She said the council should follow government advice and allow zones on major streets where there could be significant journeys made on bicycle.

Ms Peacock said: “I want to feel safe walking my children to school. It is possible to have 20mph zones on main roads. Tiny children are taken to school on Hookstone Drive and it’s very perilous.”

But her request was knocked back by council transport officer Melisa Burnham, who said North Yorkshire Council had looked in detail at Hookstone Drive but concluded that lowering the speed limit or introducing traffic calming measures like speed bumps would not be suitable due to its strategic importance to Harrogate’s road network.

Ms Burnham also referred to the School Streets initiative on Beechwood Grove outside Oatlands school that will see traffic banned at certain times. She also said other traffic calming measures will be introduced on Oatlands Drive.

Ms Burnham added: “We’re listening to communities and understanding what improvements we can do.”

The merits of introducing 20mph zones were questioned by Cllr David Ireton (Conservative, Bentham & Ingleton) who said “motorists don’t take any notice of them”.

Cllr Paul Haslam (Conservative, Bilton & Nidd Gorge) suggested speed limits at Hookstone Drive could operate at different times, such as when schools open and close.