Harrogate Cycle Action

Our Summer 2025 Newsletter: we are critical of North Yorkshire Council's refusal to include cycling in their ATF5 junction scheme mailchi.mp/412983c70881.... On the other hand, we are positive about @ynymayor.bsky.social's commitment to walking & cycling, and hope to see progress soon.

Worse, insisting people get off and push is discriminatory against those with disabilities who can't get off and push. Appearing to be anti-cycling and anti-people with disabilities would be a terrible look for ATE.

It now looks likely that @ategov.bsky.social will rubber-stamp NYC's proposals. That would leave a chasm between ATE's rhetoric and its actions. Viewed from N Yorkshire, ATE increasingly looks like anti-cycling organisation.

Cyclists should just get off and push at this @ategov.bsky.social @bricycle.bsky.social funded scheme says N Yorkshire Council Corporate Director harrogatecycleaction.org.uk/2025/07/31/g....
It's what we expect from NYC, but ATE? It would be a massive disappointment.

It is now 1,012 days since North Yorkshire Council removed the Beech Grove modal filters, promising an alternative scheme to make cycling safe there. It is safe to say that promise was dishonest, as they have not lifted a finger in the 3 years since.
#beechgrove = 1,021 days & counting

This is unacceptable. Cycling is systematically deprioritised and excluded from the council's plans. We are asking Active Travel England not to fund this scheme.

Map showing cycle routes severed at the Sainsbury's junction of A661 Wetherby Road.

North Yorkshire Council is planning to spend £350,000 on the Sainsbury's junction of Wetherby Road to put in a pedestrian crossing and fancy traffic lights to move more motor vehicles through faster - but with no crossing for people on bikes harrogatecycleaction.org.uk/2025/06/02/c...

It's now 447 days since North Yorkshire Council's own deadline to finish building crossings of Wetherby Rd & Oatlands Dr went by with no action. We wait for safer streets but nothing happens.
#countupfrom31mar24 = 447 days

20mph design for Arthur's Avenue.

A consultation on 20mph plans for Arthur's Ave Harrogate is open until 16th March harrogatecycleaction.org.uk/2025/01/24/2...
Respond and ask NYC to use the modern, recommended traffic-calming measures, and to put in a proper crossing for the school.

It's now 912 days since North Yorkshire Council removed the Beech Grove modal filters which kept people on foot and on bikes safe on the way into town. Still waiting for the alternative scheme they promised.
#beechgrove = 912 days & counting

Map showing proposed 20mph zones.

N Yorks Council is consulting on its 20mph proposals for the top of Cold Bath Road, and for Beech Grove, from today 10th Feb until 2nd March 2025. See our comments & a link to the survey here harrogatecycleaction.org.uk/2025/01/24/c...

It's now 321 days since N Yorks Council's own deadline to finish building crossings of Wetherby Rd & Oatlands Dr. Time ticks on and nothing happens.
#countupfrom31mar24 = 321 days

A proper crossing of Wetherby Rd for Slingsby Walk has been talked about by N Yorks Council for 10 years, but has not been delivered. When will it be put in place? Because in the meantime people who want to cross the road have to rely on the kindness of strangers.

It's now 870 days since N Yorks Council removed Beech Grove modal filters - the only meaningful cycling scheme the council had managed to deliver in 10 years. We are still waiting for the promised alternative scheme.
#beechgrove = 870 days & counting

It's now 294 days since N Yorkshire Council's deadline to build crossings of Wetherby Rd & Oatlands Dr went by with no action. In the meantime local people, including school children, are being failed.
#countupfrom31mar24 = 294 days

My impression is that ATE's 200 staff is not enough to get involved and make a difference at resistant councils. ATE might give a council guidance then assume the council will go away and get on with it. If the council doesn't, nothing happens.

It's now 857 days since North Yorkshire Council ripped out the Beech Grove modal filters, promising an alternative scheme - an alternative which has never materialised. This irresponsible council repeatedly fails to do the right thing.
#beechgrove = 857 days & counting.

The Mayor says he is going to appoint an Active Travel Commissioner, and part of his role will be to make sure projects stay on track. Agreed, Tom Gordon does not support active travel.

It is now 271 days since N Yorkshire Council's own deadline to build crossings of Wetherby Rd & Oatlands Dr went by with no action. When will construction start?
#countupfrom31mar24 = 271 days

It is difficult. We have raised our concerns with Council Leader Carl Les...not much sign that he is interested. There seems to be more political will from the Mayor/Combined Authority. What do you think might change the council attitude?

There must be consequences for councils that fail on active travel. At the moment there aren't any. And the victims are the people who already cycle but are put in danger; and those who would like to cycle but are put off by traffic danger 13/13

The current ATE strategy for dealing with bad councils isn't working. No on-the-ground improvements are being delivered. Assuming officers are doing their best & just need a bit of guidance won't result in meaningful change 12/

We were excited about Gear Change, LTN 1/20 and the creation of Active Travel England, but on the ground in N Yorkshire nothing has changed. The council has delivered no meaningful improvements to our cycle networks in 10 years 11/

ATE can't be on top of all the local facts, but we are. We're a resource they could use - but not if they treat us an annoyance to be ignored. If ATE don't know all the details, NYC will continue to pull the wool over their eyes & get away with murder 10/

We have 10 years + experience of NYC. We know they are world champions in making excuses for delay after delay. We know they have no intention of building anything to LTN 1/20 standards (or at all) 9/

The strong impression is that ATE regard cycle campaigners as an annoyance. Their staff are developing cosy relationships with council officers. ATE is failing to challenge councils, and not sticking up for their own policy principles and standards 8/

That is (a) factually wrong and (b) a really poor attitude even if it were factually correct. How can we still be ignoring guidance from 2020 in schemes being designed in 2024 or 2025? 7/

Most recently they said that Phase 3 of Otley Rd Cycleway is nothing to do with them and it doesn't have to meet the standards in national guidance because the funding pre-dates LTN 1/20 6/

Active Travel England have been a big disappointment. Their attitude seems to be 'don't bother us with this, we're too busy'. We thought they were supposed to be there to stop councils failing on active travel 5/

Beech Grove forms part of what *could be* a coherent route. Instead, the council has adopted a 'some bits but not others' approach, which obviously won't get more people cycling 4/