Large cycle paths are to be built on both sides of this tree-lined route into town, partly on Stray land, with the loss of most of the grass verges and with the potential loss of climate-enhancing trees. Already 11 have been removed for the junction widening and there are concerns that many more may be lost when work is undertaken. What is the carbon footprint of building all of this going to be? Can any environmental damage be adequately offset by cycling?
As this is one of the highest points/steepest hills in Harrogate how many will actually use these cycle routes? It is debatable whether children could do so.
The main police station is at Cardale park and police vehicles need easy access to these roads all the time.
Under current proposals the planned cycle paths will take up a very large percentage of the grass verges that presently exist. These cycle paths, on both sides of Otley Road, will be shared by all pedestrians including school children, the elderly, disabled, visually handicapped, as well as cyclists.
Will Otley Road still have as many beautiful mature trees when the cycle lanes have been built on both sides of the road? There were 117… now already reduced to 106 as 11 have been removed, to facilitate the new junction and proposed cycleways.
Trees and green space must be protected. They are hugely important to our environment.
Aside from the carbon sequestered a single mature, leafy tree can absorb up to 450 liters of water through its roots every day, as well as capturing rainwater on the surface of its leaves.
When water is cascading down the hill that is Otley Road/Harlow Hill with nothing to soak it up until it hits homes or the Prince of Wales roundabout and West Park Stray perhaps people will realise the significance of all of this
Before and after pictures of Otley Road, Feb 2020 trees cut down. Will more be lost to the cycleways being built.
This particular junction is being widened in large part to accommodate the huge pantechnicons turning into and out of Harlow Moor Road to access the Harrogate Spa Water factory. Harrogate Borough Council approved plans for the bottling plant in a residential area and because currently, they have to jack-knife to turn and over the years they keep knocking out the pedestrian safety railings too. A problem created by the council has meant 11 trees have been removed.