9.1) Congestion Survey
The Harrogate Congestion Survey was held in 2019, and got 15,500 responses.
It was partly designed to test local feelings about a bypass or so-called relief road that NYC wanted to build. That was roundly rejected (78% of respondents).
77% of the respondents said they were in favour of improved cycling and walking infrastructure.
As a result of the Congestion Survey, there is a mandate for better active travel facilities.
Unfortunately, in the years since the Congestion Survey NYC has failed to make any meaningful improvements to active travel facilities in Harrogate & Knaresborough.
9.2) TfN Decarbonisation Strategy
Transport for the North produced a Decarbonisation Strategy, which went to consultation from June 2021.
In the short term (up to 2030), it relies on mode shift and demand reduction to achieve necessary reductions. NYCC has no strategy to reduce car trips.
9.3) Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission Action Plan
The Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission produced its Climate Action Plan in November 2021. It was updated in 2024 – see the pdf.
On transport, it proposes to:
- prioritise investment in public transport
- develop high-quality walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure
- implement place-making policies that prioritise active travel
- switching to active or public transport
NYC Council Leader Carl Les signed it in his role on the Yorkshire Leaders Board, but there is no NYC strategy to implement the Plan.
NYC’s own Climate Change Strategy is vague, unambitious, and contains no measurable targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport.
9.4) Routemap to Carbon Negative
WYCA and the York & N Yorkshire LEP published an Emissions Reduction Pathways document for the York and North Yorkshire region. This then became the Routemap to Carbon Negative adopted by York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority.
A new version will be consulted on in 2025, and published in Summer 2025.
The Pathways document says that transport is the biggest single source of greenhouse gases in the region, and the top priority is to reduce private car use through modal shift and demand reduction.
Under the Max Ambition pathway, private car use reduces by 48% by 2030. This was the target adopted in the Routemap.
Under the other two pathways, private car use reduces by:
- 30% by 2030 and
- 44% by 2038
Walking increases by 50% and there is a 9-fold increase in cycling.
These are big changes, but NYC has no strategy to implement them and no intention of doing so.