The process for implementing part of Harrogate’s 20mph zone has begun.
North Yorkshire Council (NYC) has published a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) and accompanying map. The shaded areas on the map indicate:
- yellow – 20mph in areas where there are already traffic-calming measures
- blue – 20mph with signage only
- red – “Phase 2”, i.e. to be made 20mph at an unspecified future date, and traffic-calming measures are required
I understand that Beech Grove and the top of Cold Bath Road are also to be made 20mph, but no measures are indicated on the map for these streets.
The council says that the reason for making the 20mph Order is:
‘The proposed 20mph speed limit maintains reasonable access to premises, improves safety for pedestrians and vehicle users.
…This will assist in promoting safer roads across residential areas and in the locality of schools, reduce the risk and severity of collisions, reduce congestion, improve air quality, reduce vehicle noise, enhance the environment for walking and cycling and support local communities in having a sense of place’.
Splitting the Scheme in Two
NYC have employed their classic delaying tactic of splitting the scheme in two (or more).
The streets covered by this TRO are those where speeds are already low, and traffic-calming is not needed. The council will put up 20mph signs; this is likely to have little effect on speeds and safety.
NYC has left the hard work of calming streets where speeds are higher until later. These are the streets which will require a separate TRO and traffic-calming at a later date:
- Beckwith Road
- Yew Tree Lane
- Green Lane
- Pannal Ash Road
- Arthurs Avenue
- Oatlands Drive
To that list should be added Beech Grove and the top of Cold Bath Road.
NYC claim that they are going to do “Phase 2” in 2025.
Even then that does not include Arthurs Avenue, Oatlands Drive, Beech Grove or Cold Bath Road. Those are “separate schemes”, which you might call Phases 3 and 4.