A petition for a Safe Streets Zone centred on Pannal Ash Road has been launched. It asks for a number of streets in the area to be made 20mph.
As well as 20mph, the petition asks for traffic-calming measures and extra crossings.
The petitioners urge North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) to take a holistic approach rather than making piecemeal improvements. This is needed because there are four schools in the area and a high volume of traffic – likely to increase when new housing developments to the west and south of Harrogate are built.
We support the petition.
Cycle Infrastructure
The petition also mentions cycle infrastructure.
We have made suggestions for the area in Zone 1 of our Harrogate Cycle Infrastructure Plan. We suggest creating a one-way loop for motor vehicles on Pannal Ash Road and Beckwith Road. That frees up space for protected cycle tracks.
NYCC says there is enough grass verge for a 3m wide bi-directional cycle track on the east side of Pannal Ash Road from Otley Road to Richmond Avenue – but then there are space constraints further south towards the roundabout.
Our firm view is that the cycle provision must be consistent and part of a coherent network, and there is no point building a section of cycle track then abandoning users where it gets too difficult.
The other issue – as always – is actually getting NYCC to deliver any on-the-ground improvements.