HAPARA Attempts to Stir Up Opposition to Otley Road Cycleway Phase 3
HAPARA, the Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents’ Association, is attempting to stir up opposition to Phase 3 of the Otley Road Cycleway.
In an update email to people on its mailing list, HAPARA drew attention to their flier on the subject of Phase 3 of the Otley Road Cycleway, and said it is seeking views from residents and businesses along Otley Road.
‘Our intention is to put together a summary of responses and make the Council aware of residents’ views’.
HAPARA update email
HAPARA’s Phase 3 Otley Road Cycleway Flier
Unfortunately, the flier is not a neutral document simply setting out the facts. Instead, it sets out arguments against building cycle facilities in an attempt to stir up opposition to Phase 3 of Otley Road Cycleway.
HAPARA’s main points, and the reasons why they are not valid, follow.
1) HAPARA’s Claim that there Was ‘a Strong Negative Public Response’ to the Consultation on Phase 2
HAPARA claims that:
‘Phase 2 of the Otley Road cycle path was cancelled in 2023 following the strong negative public response’.
claim in hapara’s flier
That claim is inaccurate. In reality, of the respondents who expressed a view:
- 104 were in favour of an Otley Road scheme and
- 83 were against
2) HAPARA’s Claim that Construction of the Cycleway Will Result in the Loss of 5 Trees at the Beckwith Road Junction
I believe it is also inaccurate to claim that building Phase of the cycleway would result in a loss of trees at the Beckwith Road junction.
There is no need for any trees to be lost in order to create Phase 3 of the Otley Road Cycleway – see the measurements in this document.
If trees are to be cut down at the Beckwith Road junction, my understanding is – and I am happy to be corrected on this if I’m mistaken – that it would be because North Yorkshire Council (NYC) and the housing developers want to widen the road for motor vehicles in order to create right-turn lanes.
3) HAPARA’s Claim that Shared Use Satisfies LTN 1/20 Cycle Infrastructure Design Guidance
HAPARA says that Phase 3 of the cycleway is to be a 3m shared use path. In its flier it makes a qualified claim that this satisfies the official guidance.
‘Whilst phase 3 will satisfy the official guidance LTN 1/20, it needs to be noted that this states that a shared option should only be used for small sections where absolutely necessary. Were this to be pursued with a two-way segregated facility, this would involve the loss of even more green landscape’.
hapara’s claim about ltn 1/20
Summary Principle 2 of LTN 1/20 says that shared use facilities may be appropriate ‘away from streets’ ‘in locations such as canal towpaths, paths through housing estates, parks and other green spaces’.
Otley Road is not a towpath, nor a housing estate or park, and I therefore suggest that shared use is not appropriate according to the guidance.
4) HAPARA’s Complaints About Loss of Grass
HAPARA complains about a loss of grass in relation to the cycleway.
‘There will be an approximate 1.5m strip of grass verge lost along the entire length of Phase 3 – a noticeable loss of green landscape. All at a time when the talk is about climate change and the need to conserve such natural infrastructure to the greatest possible extent. Pedestrian facility will also be compromised’.
hapara’s claims about loss of grass
Grass will be lost so that all the new houses can be built on what was previously fields. Is HAPARA complaining about this loss of grass? Not in their flier.
Grass will be lost so that NYC can widen the road to create extra lanes for motor vehicles at junctions. Is HAPARA complaining about this loss of grass? Not in their flier.
Apparently grass is only sacrosanct when it is proposed to replace it with a cycle track; otherwise, it can be removed, no problem. This is indicative of HAPARA’s fundamentally anti-cycling stance.
5) HAPARA’s Use of Climate Change as an Argument Against Sustainable Transport Facilities
HAPARA talks about climate change, and bizarrely says it is reason not to build a cycleway.
Transport is the biggest single source of greenhouse gas emissions (28% of the UK total), yet HAPARA is seeking to use climate change to undermine the case for sustainable transport options to new housing developments.
Seeking to weaponise global heating against cycle infrastructure is very odd.
Similarly, complaining about pedestrian facilities being compromised while opposing proper separate cycle facilities is also strange logic.
6) HAPARA’s Claims about ‘the Existing Network of Cycle Paths’
HAPARA’s flier states:
‘If the intention is to get more people cycling, which is a perfectly sensible aim, this scheme seems to be an expensive way of delivering the objective. Perhaps a better option would be to publicise the existing network of cycle paths to a greater extent’.
hapara’s claim about ‘the existing network of cycle paths’
This is another misleading passage in the flier.
Otley Road is very busy, and hostile to cycling. What alternative cycle route does HAPARA believe there is from Windmill Farm to the town centre, as part of ‘the existing network of cycle paths’? There isn’t one.
What cycle routes should children living in the future developments beyond Harlow Carr use to get to Harrogate Grammar School? There aren’t any.
Riding in traffic on Otley Road itself is not an attractive proposition.
If modal shift to cycling could be achieved by putting up signposts or delivering leaflets, it would already be happening. In reality, modal shift will not happen without a high-quality cycle network – which we currently do not have.
The ‘existing cycle network’ does not include any alternative routes to Otley Road that will get people where they need to go, and to claim it does is misleading.
HAPARA’s De Facto Anti-Cycling Stance
HAPARA does not admit to being anti-cycling, but it is openly anti-cycling infrastructure. This means that it is against taking the steps that would result in more people cycling more often.
There is little or no difference between those people who are openly anti-cycling, and those who claim to be pro-cycling in theory but oppose the building of the cycle infrastructure that would actually enable people to cycle.
Instead of taking a hostile anti-cycling stance, HAPARA should be working with local residents and the council to support the creation of the best possible cycling facilities on Otley Road.