Elections for the new Harrogate Town Council take place on Thursday 1st May 2025. There are candidates in 19 wards.
We would like to see a town council elected that is supportive of cycling schemes in Harrogate, not hostile to them.
What do the parties and candidates say? I have picked out some comments from the Harrogate Informer’s town council coverage.
I have also contacted the parties and asked them if they support the creation of a cycle network in Harrogate. At the time of writing, only the Greens and Reform have replied.
If you know of a candidate who is supportive of cycling in Harrogate, please share that information either in the comments below or by contacting us.
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats say that they will ‘stand up for Harrogate against the Conservative-run North Yorkshire Council’.
Candidate Chris Aldred talks about promoting the town and encouraging tourism. He says he wants better public transport but he does not mention cycling.
He wants to work closely with a number of respected local organisations – including Zero Carbon Harrogate, but with no mention of Harrogate Cycle Action.
Green Party
The Green Party is standing in 14 wards.
The Greens say that the consequences of climate change are becoming more dangerous, and the town council must play a central role in mitigating its effects.
They support the proposed 20mph zones (which North Yorkshire Council has promised but is failing to implement). They hope that the result will be safer streets that encourage more people to walk and cycle.
‘The more pedestrian and cyclist friendly our town becomes, the healthier we will become as individuals as well as as a society, and the lower will be demands on our over-stretched NHS’.
Candidate Gilly Charters says that ‘the town council must support NYC schemes for active travel’, and wants to see ‘safer walking and cycling routes’.
In response to my enquiry, Gilly Charters said:
‘…all Green Party candidate support the creation of a cycle network in Harrogate and will work for this.
The Green Party has active travel as one of its main pillars because of the benefit that we all derive from walking and cycling safely around town.’
We also received a supportive response from Green candidate Roland Strauss, who says he is ‘aware of the multiple health benefits of cycling and other forms of active travel’ but that ‘without improving infrastructure it is hard to motivate more people to take up cycling’.
Conservatives
The Conservatives say they want ‘better and greener transport’.
‘Access to good public transport should be more even across our town and we want to see reduced traffic and better air quality’.
They mention improving bus stops, but there is no reference to cycling.
The Conservative-run North Yorkshire Council has made no meaningful improvements to Harrogate’s cycle network in the last 11 years. NYC has failed to proceed with Harrogate Station Gateway, which could actually have reduced traffic and improved access to public transport.
Labour
Candidate Chris Watt says that ‘tackling traffic congestion is a key challenge’, but doesn’t say whether that should be done by providing alternatives to the car, or by allocating more space to motor vehicles (which is likely to increase traffic).
He talks about wanting to ‘encourage drivers to switch off their engines while waiting at Starbeck [level] crossing’.
Reform
Reform candidate David Goodall wants to see ‘cheaper parking for residents’ in Harrogate. That would be likely to increase car use.
‘I oppose the Gateway project as it is a complete waste of residents’ money’.
In reality, funding for Harrogate Station Gateway was from central government, not local government, so it is not paid for by residents but by taxpayers nationally.
In reply to my enquiry about whether Reform would support the creation of a cycle network in Harrogate, they suggested I ask North Yorkshire Council what responsibilities will be handed down to the town council.
‘As a general principle our objective in Reform is to aim to make life better for all residents of our town’.
First Past the Post Election
This election uses the First Past the Post system, without any opportunity to express a second preference.
No one knows in advance how other people will vote, so there’s always a risk that your vote effectively lets in your least favoured candidate – but there’s nothing that can be done about that.