Harrogate Carbon Reduction Strategy Consultation

Last month, HBC released their updated draft Carbon Reduction Strategy for consultation:

https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=163708094146

The new version is intended to “reflect recent changes in national and regional policies and show how the council will use its place-shaping influence to encourage the district as a whole to decarbonise.”

The document goes on to say that the vision of HBC is “that by 2038 the Harrogate District will have a net zero-carbon economy. The council will lead the district, by using our place-shaping powers, and by continually improving our own operations.”

As part of the consultation, HBC have asked residents, businesses, voluntary and community organisations, and other groups, three questions:

Q1       In what main capacity are you responding to this consultation?

Q2       Do you have any general comments about the draft carbon reduction strategy?

Q3       Are you aware of additional opportunities for carbon reduction not already covered in the draft reduction strategy?

Responses are required by 2^nd January.

We have reviewed the document from a cycling perspective and found it to be very disappointing with a strong focus on electric vehicles which still have a high carbon footprint. Furthermore, the document claims that Harrogate Borough Council are aligning their carbon reduction strategy with that of the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Change Commission (YHCCC), however the YHCCC prioritises promotion of public transport, enabling active travel such as walking and cycling, minimising private car use and development of 20 minute neighbourhoods. Minimising private car use and the concept of 20 minute neighbourhoods are not mentioned at all in the Harrogate strategy. You can read more about the YHCCC Climate Action Plan here:

https://yorksandhumberclimate.org.uk/climate-action-plan

Our complete response is given below. Please take the time to read and respond to the consultation before the closing date of 2nd January 2022.

Zero Carbon Harrogate have also published their response which covers a wider remit than us. You can read about their response on the Zero Carbon website here:

https://www.zerocarbonharrogate.org.uk/noticeboard

Zero Carbon Harrogate have also provided a list of bullet points to help make responding to the consultation easier:

https://www.zerocarbonharrogate.org.uk/consultation

Harrogate District Cycle Action Response

The following responses are proposed:

Q2       Do you have any general comments about the draft carbon reduction strategy?

A revision of the local carbon reduction strategy at this time is very welcome, and it is good to see that the council accepts its role in not only reducing its own emissions, but also as a vehicle for reducing emissions in the district as a whole. It is also good to see proposals to report annual government data for the region as it becomes available. In this context it would be useful to provide targets for each strategic theme as described in the document so that the success of different approaches can be monitored.

            Unfortunately, the strategy gives no evidence that the potential carbon savings of any of the projects mentioned, gives no timescales and no recognition of what projects would have maximum impact and should therefore be prioritised. In addition, there are no specific actions in the document, just vague non-specific actions. Thus, the strategy appears to have no ambition or rigour.

            The document acknowledges the work that the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Change Commission (YHCCC) are doing in this area and states that the Harrogate strategy will closely align with the regional action plan. However, from a transport perspective, this does not appear to be the case. Strategic Theme 2 on sustainable transport appears to prioritise the uptake of ultra low emission vehicles which alone are not a suitable solution as they still have a high carbon emissions and reliance on them runs the risk of delaying the reaching of carbon reduction targets (https://www.research.ox.ac.uk/article/2021-06-14-obsessing-over-electric-cars-is-impeding-the-race-to-net-zero-more-active-travel-is-essential). Furthermore, this is a significant deviation from the YHCCC strategy which prioritises promotion of public transport, enabling active travel such as walking and cycling, minimising private car use and development of 20 minute neighbourhoods. Minimising private car use and the concept of 20 minute neighbourhoods are not mentioned at all in the Harrogate strategy.

We question the statement that transport emissions account for 31% of the district’s carbon footprint. Other sources of data, such as the  ”Summary Roadmap For Harrogate” issued by the Place-Based Climate Action Network at the University of Leeds ( Ref: Gouldson, A. Sudmant, A. Duncan, A. (2019). “A summary carbon roadmap for Harrogate”. Place-based Climate Action Network, https://pcancities.org.uk/  ) puts this figure much higher at 44% of emissions for the district. This is a much higher figure and emphasises the importance of tackling the transport emissions.

            Overall, the HBC approach is very disappointing, particularly as earlier this year Cllr Ireland, who is cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability stated at the Harrogate Transport Improvement Programme meeting on 8 Jan 2021, that he wanted Harrogate to have a “gold plated, exemplar sustainable transport plan” (Link to video of meeting here: https://www.harrogate.gov.uk/councillors-committees/cabinet/7)

If transport emissions are to be significantly reduced, more needs to be done to reduce car use (electric vehicles or otherwise) and to encourage active travel and greater use of public transport through the creation of an integrated network rather than piecemeal projects such as the Otley Road cycle path which still has no timeline for completion.

We propose that Strategic Theme  2 should focus more on creating a fully integrated, sustainable travel ecosystem that integrates public transport with active travel. This could include:

• An integrated network of cycle ways that give bicycles priority over vehicles at junctions and roundabouts.
• Secure cycle storage at both the main transport hub at the bus and train station and at other train stations in the area, and at main bus stops. This should also be suitable for scooters and, if they are legalised, electric scooters
• E- bike hire schemes that will enable one way travel between the centre of town and surrounding areas where people live and work as well as the convention centre.
• Greater emphasis on reducing traffic speeds and more 20 mph zones so that cycling appears safer.
• A cargo bike hire scheme so that people can transport large items by bicycle.
• Development of 20 minute neighbourhoods with priority over walking and cycling.
• Prioritisation of building active travel networks between new developments and the main transport hubs in the centre of town. Execution of projects such as the delayed Otley Road cycleway have wasted time and do not give confidence that the local authorities can deliver on these schemes.
• Expansion of public transport provision with more places served including areas outside of Harrogate, and a greater frequency of service. Improved fare structures to encourage visitors to the town centre would also help to reduce car traffic.

Also in Strategic Theme 2, the document proposes working with HDCCC to promote alternatives to single car occupancy. We would hope that you would also seek to partner with other groups such as Harrogate District Cycle Action to advise and to promote cycling,  as well as forming groups to represent public transport users and pedestrians in the Harrogate district. Our previous experience of working within the transport sub-group of HDCCC leads us to think that this group was not able to promote sustainable travel in the district.

The strategy should also tie in with the Transport Decarbonisation Strategy released by Transport For The North which was released in December 2021 (https://transportforthenorth.com/reports/tfn-transport-decarbonisation-strategy-dec-2021/ )

Q3       Are you aware of additional opportunities for carbon reduction not already covered in the draft reduction strategy?

As stated above, an active travel network, integrated with public transport is desperately needed to reduce travel carbon emissions which account for 44% of emissions in the district. This will also have the effect of reducing other pollutants, improving health through greater activity, and will help reduce the chronic levels of traffic congestion in and around the town. This should include:

• An integrated network of cycle ways that give bicycles priority over vehicles at junctions and roundabouts.
• Secure cycle storage at both the main transport hub at the bus and train station and at other train stations in the area, and at main bus stops. This should also be suitable for scooters and, if they are legalised, electric scooters
• E-bike hire schemes that will enable one way travel between the centre of town and surrounding areas where people live and work as well as the convention centre.
• Greater emphasis on reducing traffic speeds and more 20 mph zones so that cycling appears safer.
• A cargo bike hire scheme so that people can transport large items by bicycle.
• Development of 20 minute neighbourhoods with priority over walking and cycling.
• Prioritisation of building active travel networks between new developments and the main transport hubs in the centre of town. Execution of projects such as the delayed Otley Road cycleway have wasted time and do not give confidence that the local authorities can deliver on these schemes.
• Expansion of public transport provision with more places served including areas outside of Harrogate, and a greater frequency of service. Improved fare structures to encourage visitors to the town centre would also help to reduce car traffic.