Yorkshire cycling website
After missing out on half its Tranche 1 bid for Emergency Active Travel Fund money, North Yorkshire County Council is to consult community groups over its Tranche 2 bid for £1,065,000.
Read about NYCC to consult over EATF Tranche 2 bid.
Chris Batley wrote to the Yorkshire Post objecting to positive plans for the town centre. I set out the reasons why I don't agree, and why his arguments don't reflect the facts.
5th June 2020
North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) is to bid for funding for active travel improvements in response to the pandemic.
Read about the NYCC bid for active travel funds.
17th May 2020
North Yorkshire County Council is so far failing in its active travel response to the Coronavirus. Widening pavements in a handful of locations for a single weekend makes no sense when the virus can be transmitted on any day of the week.
Read about the NYCC failing in Coronavirus active travel response.
28th February 2020
Harrogate District Cycle Action is today launching its new website, alongside an updated manifesto and refreshed social media accounts. The website invites local people to sign up as supporters and contribute their ideas.
Find out more about the HDCA website.
8th January 2020
Can anyone guess the purpose of this 12m long cycle path? It's by the roundabout at the Bellway housing development, on the old Dunlopillo site, but it doesn't seem to lead anywhere.
Read about daft cycle infra at the Bellway Pannal development.
21st November 2019
A group of councils including Harrogate BC and North Yorkshire CC is making a bid as part of the Leeds City Region for funding from the DfT.
The bid is for a share of the Transforming Cities Fund, which is money to make it easier, safer and quicker for people to travel and get to work, by improving transport connections across city regions.
If the bid is successful, part of the money is to be spent in Harrogate to improve the front of the station, and create better access for pedestrians and cyclists. It will also be spent on improved facilities for walking and cycling in the town centre, and improving public spaces in town.
The bid should be submitted on 28th November 2019.
17th September 2019
In a letter to the Yorkshire Post, Bishop Monkton Councillor Brown claims that 'motorists' are being knocked and made to feel unwelcome in Harrogate Borough. This is a response to some of his arguments.
12th September 2019
A survey by the local MP, to find out what local shoppers think of the town centre, shows how people get there and what they think of the cycle facilities.
Read about Harrogate Retail Inquiry.
12th September 2019
A leaflet from a campaigner against the Otley Road cycleway came through my door today. I disagree with the arguments in the leaflet - read why.
Read about anti-Otley Road cycleway leaflet.
20th August 2019
NYCC published the results of their congestion study, and the answer from Harrogate and Knaresborough was a resounding 'no' to the so-called relief road.
Read about no to Harrogate relief road.
19th August 2018
The future starts now! The Harrogate Bus Company is poised to introduce a fleet of fully electric buses on three of its major routes.
Read about Harrogate's electric buses.
14th August 2018
Local racing cyclist Duncan Mullier was hit from behind while competing in a time trial on the A168 near Boroughbridge, reports the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The 48-year-old, who rides for Harrogate Nova, had just crossed the finish line and stopped pedalling when a red car drove into the back of him. He was catapulted into the air, and broke a collar bone, shoulder blade, and six ribs. The driver of the car that hit him didn't stop.
Mr Mullier said, 'I quite often encounter close passes from cars when I'm out cycling. A lot of drivers get behind the wheel of a car and just completely change. The slightest inconvenience on the road makes them go crazy, and this is what can happen as a result.' He would like to see a police initiative to deal with the problem.
4th August 2018
John Rowe, founder of Resurrection Bikes, Harrogate
An in-depth look at Resurrection Bikes, a charity cycle-recycle operation in Harrogate that meets the needs of local people.
Read about Resurrection Bikes, Harrogate.
18th July 2018
Cycling Yorkshire Dales, by Tejvan Pettinger, Licence CC BY 2.0
An extraordinary anti-cyclist tirade by a North Yorkshire County Councillor was reported in the national press yesterday. 'All they do is speed', Councillor Caroline Patmore is quoted as saying, as she describes how she wants it to be easier and quicker for her to overtake people riding bikes. She complains that there's just not enough space for anyone to cycle in England's largest county.
Read about North Yorkshire Councillor Patmore in anti-cyclist tirade.
14th June 2018
Funding is in place for a segregated cycle route along Otley Road, the DfT bid having been successful. It is hoped Stray Defence Association objections will be overcome. It is essential that a quality route, with priority over side roads, is built - not a poor design of the type we have seen so often in the UK, and which attract a fraction of the cyclists seen in the Netherlands. Read an Otley Road cycle route update.
12th June 2018
A so-called relief road is being promoted by an Executive on North Yorkshire County Council, in spite of a democratic vote against it. It is supposed to be a response to Harrogate's congestion problems, but there's a fatal flaw in the reasoning of the would-be road-builders. Read about why the Harrogate relief road is a terrible idea.
22nd September 2017
Motorway - No Thanks, by JL57, Licence CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
The Campaign for Rural England have shown that new road projects generate extra traffic - over and above the increases which would have happened otherwise. This is relevant to the bypass which the county council is seeking to impose on Harrogate & Knaresborough. Read about the CPRE Impact of Roads report.
1st August 2017
A segregated cycle track could be built alongside the Otley Road, from the Prince of Wales roundabout to Cardale Park.
According to Councillor Don Mackenzie's Transport Talk column, a bid has been submitted to the DfT, valued at £4.7 million including local contributions and s.106 funding from developers. The amount allocated to the Otley Road cycle track would be £800,000. Other spending from the bid money would include £2 million for junction and signal upgrades on Otley Road (especially at the junction with Harlow Moor Road), £700,000 to improve the road between Burn Bridge and Cardale Park, £200,000 for electric vehicle charging at Cardale Park, and £1 million for a new roundabout on the A61 at its junction with Burn Bridge Lane.
If the bid succeeds, work would start in the financial year 2018/19.
29th June 2017
Harrogate is to be the hub for the 2019 UCI World Championships in Yorkshire. As the main competition town, it will be the venue for the finish of all the races, and the start point for some circuit events.
Read more about Harrogate main hub for UCI World Championships 2019.
15th September 2016
Harrogate's air quality deteriorated in 2015, according to the Borough Council's report, and the worst single location to breathe in is the taxi rank on Station Parade. Concentrations of NO2 have increased across the district at the majority of locations where monitoring takes place. Read about Station Parade taxi rank has worst air quality in Harrogate district.
25th August 2016
The Prologue Café Bash is on Sunday 28th August 2016. A 69.2km loop takes participants to Ripley, Pateley Bridge, up Greenhow Hill, to Otley, and back to Harrogate via Farnley, Lindley Wood reservoir, and Beckwithshaw. Read about the Prologue Café Bash 2016.
9th August 2016
A 14 year old riding a bike suffered leg, shoulder, and head injuries when hit by a black Ford Mondeo on Harcourt Drive, Harrogate, near the junction with Kingsway, reports the Harrogate Advertiser. The incident happened about 1pm on Friday 5th August 2016. Witnesses are asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for traffic Constable Rob Roberts of Harrogate Roads Policing Group.
1st November 2015
Police closed Penny Pot Lane to traffic this morning, a short distance beyond the army barracks. A black Toyota Aygo and a Giant bike were by the side of the road. I don't have any other details, but I hope it turns out that it isn't too serious.
13th October 2015
A 24 year old female cyclist was hit and injured on Hall Lane, in the Bilton area of Harrogate, on Friday 9th October, reports the Harrogate Advertiser. She was riding towards Bilton Lane on Friday morning, when a red or orange hatchback began overtaking her. A white Ford Transit type van was coming in the opposite direction, and it seems from the Advertiser report that the driver of the hatchback avoided colliding with the Transit by hitting the cyclist.
The driver of the hatchback failed to stop. The cyclist was left with minor injuries to her foot and ankle.
12th October 2015
A cyclist was seriously injured on the A59 near Skipton on Saturday 10th October 2015, reports the Craven Herald. The cyclist was a man in his 50s riding towards Skipton. The collision involved a blue Land Rover Discovery towing an Ifor Williams trailer, and happened at about 3.30pm, west of Skipton, at the turn-off for Carleton-in-Craven, close to Broughton Hall.
The cyclist was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary. The driver, a man in his 60s from the Keighley area, was not injured. The road was closed for about 6 hours for police investigations.
30th September 2015
A section of the Nidderdale Greenway is covered with mud and stones, and has been since mid-July. It seems to be caused by tractors involved in logging operations by the Nidd Viaduct. It would be nice to know how long this will continue, and whether the muck could be swept away from time to time while the work continues. Read more about mud and stones on the Nidderdale Greenway...
10th September 2015
Veloheads in Starbeck are running bike maintenance courses starting at the end of this month. There are Home Mechanic courses for beginners, or to consolidate existing skills, and Advanced Home Mechanic courses. Read about Veloheads home mechanic courses...
14th September 2015
Harrogate is consulting on changes to the town centre, to make sure it remains busy and prosperous. James St and Princes St are to be pedestrianised, the old council offices at Crescent Gardens could be turned into a spa hotel, and sustainable travel, including cycling, is to be promoted. Read about Harrogate town centre strategy...
10th September 2015
There is a large amount of mud and stones on a section of the Nidderdale Greenway, where a tractor has been driving along it, churning up muck from the side. It is on the Ripley side of the Nidd viaduct, near Holme Bottom, and has been there since (from memory) mid-July.
Initially, it was only on a stretch north of Holme Bottom. I was hoping it would soon be swept away. Not only has that not happened, but another stretch south of Holme Bottom has now been covered in mud and stones.
It makes the path difficult to ride with a road bike, there's a risk of punctures, and everyone is forced onto the narrow section of path furthest from the tractor tracks, with the least mud on it, making it awkward to pass other Greenway users.
9th September 2015
A cyclist was hit by a tractor's trailer on the B6265 near Pateley Bridge on 26th August 2015, and knocked off his bike, suffering minor injuries, plus damage to his bike. The tractor driver, and a colleague who was following in another tractor, failed to stop. Read about cyclist hit by tractor trailer near Pateley Bridge...
22nd July 2015
The timing was unfortunate. It was almost exactly a year after the Tour de France in Harrogate that the council painted huge 'no cycling' signs onto paths across the Stray. Why did they do it? Read about the painted 'no cycling' signs on the Stray...
1st July 2015
The cycling statistics released by the DfT last month show that Harrogate has the seventh highest rate of recreational cycling in England. Although nearly all political debate in the last few years has been focused on 'hardworking people' making money, that's not all there is to life. It is also valid to have a nice time with recreational cycling in Harrogate...
1st July 2015
The Harrogate Sportive, in its second year, and part of the Tour de France legacy, takes place on Sunday 19th July 2015. Held in aid of Epilepsy Action, the ride begins and ends at the Army Foundation College on Penny Pot Lane. Entries close on Wednesday 15th July.
There's a long (72 mile, £35) route, and a medium (30 mile, £25) route. The prices include drink stations and a finisher's T shirt.
The long route heads out into the Yorkshire Dales, to Grassington and Kettlewell, then up to Middleham, and back via Masham, Risplith, Sawley, and Hampsthwaite. The medium route doesn't go as far west or north, heading to Dacre, Summerbridge, Pateley Bridge, then to Sawley, and back to Harrogate the same way as the long route.
1st July 2015
Brian Colling was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, after he clipped Darren Greaves, 38, who was riding his bike, the Harrogate Advertiser reported yesterday. Greaves fell into the path of another car, and was killed. The incident happened on 17th October 2014. Read more...
29th June 2015
Cycling rates remained static in the latest statistics published by the DfT, although 35 local authority areas showed significant increases. Harrogate's cycling rates are significantly above the national average, with more recreational than utility cyclists. Read more about the cycling rates, nationally and Harrogate and York...
25th June 2015
In February 2015, the government and the Canal & River Trust announced a DfT grant of £450,000 to surface the towpath between Skipton and Bradley, with work to start in April. We report on the latest progress. Read our Leeds & Liverpool canal Skipton cycling project update...
22nd June 2015
Harrogate Big Bike Bash on the weekend of 20th & 21st June 2015 was a success. Large numbers of local people turned out to visit the event village and take part in Ride the Route on closed roads in the town centre. Saturday evening culminated in Criterium races. Read more about the Harrogate Big Bike Bash 2015 (report)...
11th June 2015
There's a week left to comment on Harrogate's draft Cycling Delivery Plan. The plan, launched in March, contains a list of proposed schemes to improve cycling infrastructure in Harrogate & district. Read more about the Harrogate cycling delivery plan...
9th June 2015
The Big Bike Bash is due to take place in Harrogate on Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd June 2015. The centrepiece is criterium races on Saturday evening, but there's a chance to ride the route on closed roads on Saturday afternoon, and there'll be an event village all weekend on West Park Stray. Read about the Big Bike Bash...
1st March 2015
The government last month announced cycle funding of £450,000 for a 2.5 mile section of the Leeds & Liverpool canal at Skipton. It is intended to be a 'cycle gateway' into the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The Canal & River Trust says that it will be an all-weather hard surface along the towpath from Skipton to Bradley. The work will start in April, and last about 3 months. Ultimately, the Trust aims to upgrade the whole canal towpath in Yorkshire, which would improve access from Leeds to the Yorkshire Dales.
Other National Parks, including the Peak District, are set to benefit from cycle funding too.
1st February 2015
Work will begin tomorrow, Monday 2nd February 2015, to build a new toucan crossing of the Skipton Road, at the junction with Claro Road, reports the Harrogate Advertiser. The crossing will have a traffic island. There is also to be work to Claro Road, including an Advanced Stop Zone for cyclists, and resurfacing as far as Devonshire Place.
The money for the work is coming from North Yorkshire County Council's Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The road works are expected to take eight weeks.
10th January 2015
A cyclist was hit by a lorry on Otley Road, between the junctions with Arthurs Avenue and West End Avenue, around 6.05pm on Thursday 8th January, reports the Harrogate Advertiser. The cyclist was left with serious head injuries, and was taken to Harrogate District Hospital. The driver of the black and red Volvo lorry did not stop, but was traced to an address in Knaresborough.
17th August 2014
A 77-year old cyclist died after a crash with a 72-year old pedestrian on Follifoot Lane, near Kirkby Overblow. The incident took place on Wednesday 13th August 2014, according to the BBC. The pedestrian was treated at Harrogate District Hospital before being released.
30th July 2014
A cyclist was injured when she was hit by a caravan on Sunday 27th July, reports the Harrogate Advertiser. The incident happened as the cyclist, a 45-year-old woman, was riding her mountain bike on the A684 towards Bedale. She was overtaken by a white mini-van towing a caravan, and as the vehicle pulled back in, it hit her and knocked her off her bike. She was airlifted to hospital. The driver did not stop.
24th July 2014
The Harrogate Advertiser reports that there was a crash involving a cyclist and a pedestrian in Pateley Bridge on Tuesday (22nd July 2014). The pedestrian, a woman in her 60s, was knocked over, and is in hospital with serious, life-threatening head injuries. The 18-year-old cyclist suffered a cut to his elbow.
29th June 2014
With less than a week to go until the Tour de France, Harrogate is getting ready, with Tour de France decorations around the town. See a video and photos of the Tour decorations in Harrogate...
13th June 2014
There were three incidents between 6th & 8th June 2014 in Harrogate Borough, where cyclists were knocked off their bikes by vehicles. Two of the drivers failed to stop. Read about the three cycle incidents in Harrogate Borough...
9th June 2014
The cycling feasibility study proposed by Councillor Helen Flynn has been rejected by the council, but is to be crowdfunded. Read about the project, and how to contribute to the crowdfunding of a Harrogate cycling feasibility study...
27th May 2014
Up to 12,000 people are expected to watch the Tour de France in Ripley. The village, which on the route of Stage 1, on Saturday 5th July 2014, just a few miles before the finish in Harrogate, believes that this is Ripley's chance to shine. 'It's one of the world's biggest events...we are going French for a full two weeks,' said Lady Emma Ingilby. There'll be camping, parking, food and drink, and children's activities. Read about the Tour de France in Ripley...
27th April 2014
North Yorkshire Police have reported that there was a serious accident near Bainbridge in the Yorkshire Dales on Saturday 5th April 2014, involving a collision between a car and a cyclist. With many cyclists expected to ride the county's roads in advance of the Tour de France, and specifically the narrow roads of the Dales, the police have been distributing cycle safety leaflets and posters, pointing out the dangers, and urging cyclists to take care.
26th April 2014
North Yorkshire County Council road casualty statistics show that 52 cyclists were killed or seriously injured in 2013, up from 47 in 2012. Meanwhile, with an increase in the number of cyclists on North Yorkshire's roads anticipated due to the Tour de France, the Council is launching a Think! Bike cycle safety poster campaign. Read about cycle casualties 2013 and the cycle safety poster campaign...
15th April 2014
The Nidderdale Greenway is a victim of its own success. The car park on Bilton Lane only takes six cars, and there are frequently up to 30 cars parked on the side of the narrow lane, causing problems for pedestrians and cyclists. Bilton Conservation Group wants the car park extended. Read about Nidderdale Greenway parking problems...
15th March 2014
LibDem councillor Helen Flynn has initiated a debate over a feasibility study into Harrogate cycling projects. The idea comes from Sustrans, who say that without such a study, it is much more difficult to get funding from central government. Read more about the Harrogate BC debate about a cycling feasibility study...
11th March 2014
North Yorks CC has announced £4m of road improvements for Harrogate. This includes road resurfacing in advance of the Tour de France, and changes to signals and junctions. There are some, very limited, measures for cycling, including the Yorkshire Showground greenway. Read about the £4m road improvements in Harrogate...
1st February 2014
Harrogate council has made a number of grants to community groups for Tour de France legacy projects. This includes money for the Tour de Starbeck trail, and for Harrogate Cycle Action. Read about Harrogate council's grants to community groups for Tour de France projects...
22nd January 2014
Clothes shop Snooty Frox, on Hookstone Road, has been at the centre of a row over parking in the cycle lane outside its premises.
Road.cc reports that the shop was challenged over a sign it produced, stating, 'Parking IS permitted in the cycle lane.' The sign was based on incorrect advice from a Police Community Support Officer from North Yorkshire police. After being challenged on Twitter, Snooty Frox realised that the sign was not appropriate. The relevant rule is in section 140 of the Highway Code, which states, 'Do not drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a broken white line unless it is unavoidable.' The sign has now been taken down.
The sign appears to have been an honest mistake. One comment below the Road.cc article says, 'I live round the corner from this shop...this new cycle lane is a...joke anyway, it lasts about 100 metres and its forcing the cars to funnel down at the top of the road and has made cycling at that part of the road more dangerous than before.'
The wider issue is that Harrogate BC has stated and promised that a cycling legacy from the Tour de France is fundamental, but it is not yet clear if these are just empty words, or if there is something more substantial to come in the future. It is clear that short, isolated stretches of cycling infrastructure, just involving paint, will not be enough to make Harrogate a bike-friendly town.
HedgehogCycling has reviewed the bikes lanes a short distance from this area, and made suggestions for improvements.
14th December 2013
North Yorkshire County Council produced a report dated 5th December 2013, assessing the traffic impact of building six hundred houses on land at Penny Pot Lane (the site shown on this map). The County Council is the Local Highway Authority (LHA) responsible for traffic and transport.
The report says that the LHA assessed the capacity of Penny Pot Lane and the traffic signals at Oak Beck Bridge (which is single file). It is 'satisfied that there is sufficient capacity within Penny Pot Lane to accommodate the increase in traffic. Modelling of the Oak Beck Bridge signals also demonstrate [sic] that the signals will not exceed their theoretical capacity.'
Under the heading 'Sustainability', the report says that the developer will provide a bus link from the northern end of the site into the Jenny Fields Estate. 'This will provide connectivity from the site to the town centre. In order to restrict the use of the access to buses, cyclists and pedestrians a bus gate will be provided.'
See our blog for HedgehogCycling's comments.
1st December 2013
The Harrogate Advertiser reports that the Lib Dems have chosen a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate to fight the 2015 general election. Councillor Helen Flynn has been selected to represent the party.
Amongst her key policies will be making Harrogate more cycling friendly. She told the Advertiser, 'Harrogate's roads are massively clogged. There are pots of government funding we could apply for. I would like to do more to make Harrogate cycling friendly, and with the Tour de France coming next year, there is a real opportunity.'
North Yorkshire County Council remains the key decision-maker, as it has responsibility for highways, including cycling infrastructure, but Mrs Flynn's words are nevertheless encouraging.
13th November 2013
Walking past Boneshakers bike shop in Harrogate yesterday, we noticed that it was closed up, with signs in the windows saying, 'Closed until further notice.' We don't have any more information at the moment. The website is up as normal.
We hope it will reopen in the same or new premises.
26th October 2013
A Harrogate man has invented a bike for the blind and visually impaired, the Harrogate Advertiser reports. Dr Paul Clarke has developed an ultrasound sensor for the handlebars of a bike, which warns the rider of any obstacles in their path. Whilst it would not be enable blind people to cycle on the public roads, it could be used in a velodrome, and so could revolutionise cycling as a Paralympic sport.
An Ultrabike is on display in the science museum, and the idea has generated a lot of interest from organisations which work with the blind and visually impaired. Dr Clarke has been working with the blind and visually impaired to trial the bike.
This BBC report from an RNIB conference in Glasgow in September 2013 as a video of the bike being tested out. See also this report from Tony Shearman, who rode the bike in July 2013.
20th October 2013
Harrogate Cycle Action launched their cycling manifesto for Harrogate on Monday 14th October 2013, at Harrogate Cricket Club. (There is also a short version of the manifesto).
There were presentations by Hugh Larkin, a local cardiologist, and by Mike Babbit of Sustrans, at an evening attended by councillors from Harrogate BC and North Yorkshire CC.
The manifesto was presented by Martin Weeks. It sets the aim of encouraging cycling as an enjoyable activity and an alternative mode of transport. Harrogate Cycle Action's objective is to work with agencies, including local authorities, for better facilities for cyclists - in particular, cycleways. They wish to consult with the public (online and face to face) to establish priorities.
Two particular suggestions are that linking Harrogate to the Spofforth-Wetherby cycleway would be a suitable Tour de France legacy project; and there should be a legacy/anniversary ride based on the Tour de France route, in July 2015.
There is a report on the evening from Cycle Harrogate.
10th October 2013
On a bike ride along the Beryl Burton cycleway to Knaresborough yesterday, we came across a vehicle and a team of employees from North Yorkshire County Council, at the junction near Bilton Hall. They were about to start work resurfacing the section of cycle route between Bilton Hall and the river Nidd in Knaresborough. So, work is under way, or should be by now.
They mentioned that the route may be closed at times over the next few days, so that the work can take place.
The route was originally due to be resurfaced in May this year, but North Yorkshire CC backtracked, and said it would ony tackle 500m of it. Then in September 2013, there was another change of heart. The council managed to reduce the cost of the works from £80,000 to £60,000, bring forward some cycle infrastructure spending from next year, and get a contribution of £10,000 from Harrogate Borough Council. As a result, they had enough money to resurface the whole cycleway this year, after all, and took the decision to do so.
Update 20th October 2013
The cycleway has been resurfaced from Bilton Hall down as far as the first cattle grid and blue bench. Further down, preparatory works have been undertaken, putting wooden boarding on one side of the path. In the other direction, towards Bilton Lane, no work has so far been done.
The Nidderdale Greenway is a cycleway that runs from Harrogate to Ripley, a distance of about 4 miles. It follows the route of a dismantled railway, so it's largely flat.
Read about the Nidderdale
Greenway.
The Harland Way is a Sustrans cycle and foot path between Spofforth and Wetherby, and is (in theory) phase 1 of a route between Harrogate and York. It's on the route of a railway trackbed, and was convered to a path in 1992.
Read about the Harland Way.
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