Welcome to Harrogate District Cycle Action, keeping cyclists moving in Harrogate District.
About Harrogate District Cycle Action
Harrogate District Cycle Action is an Association dedicated to encouraging cycling as a healthy, safe and enjoyable activity for all ages, and as a mode of transport.
Our key objective is to campaign for a network of safe cycleways in Harrogate District. We’re committed to engaging with local people on priorities for improvements to the existing cycle network and on new routes, as set out in our manifesto.
Read more about Harrogate District Cycle Action.
Holding North Yorkshire to Account
North Yorkshire Council (NYC) has been making promises of action on active travel for at least a decade now, while achieving nothing. The last meaningful improvement to Harrogate’s cycle network was the Yorkshire Showground Greenway in 2014.
There was negative progress in 2022 when the Beech Grove modal filters were removed. Nothing was achieved in 2023, and 2024 was another year of failure with no on-the-ground improvements.
The table below tracks progress on the promises NYC made about their active travel projects at the start of 2023.
| Project | Promised Action (Start of 2023) | Results Achieved |
|---|---|---|
| Nidderdale Greenway crossing of Bilton Lane | Construction by March 2023 | Fail. No construction work started in the year to the end of March 2023. Still no work started in the whole of 2024. |
| Otley Road Cycleway | Consultation results January 2023 Work to be done by April 2023 | Fail. Project (Phase 2) abandoned Feb 2023. There is no alternative route. |
| Beech Grove | Report to BES Executive January 2023 Scheme to be delivered in Summer 2023 | Fail. Project abandoned Feb 2023 and replaced with vague promises from Cllr Duncan of an unspecified new scheme at an unspecified future date. Still no details announced in the whole of 2024. |
| Harrogate Station Gateway | Consultation results to be published (January 2023) H&K Area Committee to consider the scheme (5th May 2023) Construction to start “late 2023” | Consultation results published 13th January 2023. Approved by Area Committee 5th May 2023 and by Executive 30th May 2023. Decision to proceed quashed by Executive 22nd August 2023. Revised design stripped of most cycle infrastructure and focused instead on motor vehicles. No construction work in the whole of 2024. |
| Oatlands Drive (ATF2) | Report with options in “the New Year” 2023 | Fail. Report finally published December 2023. No ‘next steps’ announced. No cycle infrastructure built. |
| Victoria Avenue (ATF2) | 3rd consultation to start in “the New Year” 2023 | Fail. April 2024: consultation finally held, on pedestrian crossing scheme, with all cycle infrastructure stripped out. No construction work started in the whole of 2024. |
| A59 Knaresborough Road (ATF2) | 3rd consultation to start in “the New Year” 2023 | ATF4 bid for further funding failed. May 2024: local Area Committee of H&K Councillors agreed to fund design of 250m missing link from High Bridge. Design work still not finished at the end of 2024. |
| Wetherby Road & Oatlands Drive Crossings | Feasibility study to be written Construction in 2023/4 (i.e. by March 2024) | 31st March 2024 construction deadline missed. Consultation and Stray land consultation held March/April 2024 and second consultation in June/July 2024. Construction did not start in 2024. |
| Harrogate LCWIP to be ‘refreshed’ | Draft was to be available by mid-Dec 2022 (missed) To BES Executive January/February 2023 | Fail. End of 2024: no news of any progress. |
| Ripon LCWIP | To be approved in Spring 2023 | Fail. End of 2024: no news of any progress. |
Sign Up As a Supporter
To make the case for better cycle routes in Harrogate District, we need you! We believe that the best ideas will come from the community; and they are much more likely to happen if they have strong local backing. Become a supporter and you’ll:
- receive quarterly newsletters
- get log in details for this website, to put forward your ideas for new or improved cycle routes in Harrogate and Knaresborough, and comment on news posts
- be invited to the rides and talks we plan to organise
Sign up using the form at the top of the right hand sidebar on this page, or find out more about becoming a supporter.
Signing up as a Supporter is for people who support our goals, not for opponents of active travel.
Winter 2025 Newsletter
Our latest Newsletter came out on 27th January 2025. Read it here.
Harrogate Cycle Infrastructure Plan Zones
A comprehensive survey of Harrogate’s cycle network, by zones, with suggestions for bringing it up to a good standard. Supporters with local knowledge can leave comments on the zone plan pages, with suggestions for any routes or interventions that we may have overlooked.
For locations in Harrogate, this is the best place to leave your suggestions.
See the Harrogate Cycle Infrastructure Plan Zones.
North Yorkshire Abandons Otley Road and Beech Grove Schemes Despite Majority Support
North Yorkshire County Council decided to abandon its active travel schemes on Otley Road and Beech Grove despite majority support for them in the most recent consultation.
This shows a jaw-dropping lack of commitment by the council to its own active travel schemes, and leaves plans for a joined-up cycle network in tatters.
Read more about North Yorkshire Abandons Otley Road and Beech Grove Schemes Despite Majority Support.
Cricket Ground Quietway
A suggestion for a Quietway route to town from south west Harrogate, with physical infrastructure, signing and branding, and marketing of the route needed.
Read about the Cricket Ground Quietway.
Cycle Infrastructure Design
New Cycle Infrastructure Design guidance has been published as LTN 1/20. It is a truly excellent document, bringing together best practice from the UK and around the world. If – if – it is followed, it will result in superb cycle infrastructure.
Read HDCA’s (long) summary of Cycle Infrastructure Design, and find a link to the full document.
Priorities
We’ve set out some of our priorities for new routes and improvments to existing routes. Theoretically they should evolve over time as some projects are completed, and others identified. In practice, the council is achieving nothing so they are largely static.
Please read the priorities, and if you think we’ve overlooked an important improvement, let us know in the comments.
Read about priorities.