A new £550,000 footbridge over Harrogate's railway line
is to be provided at Dragon Junction in a partnership between North
Yorkshire County Council, Network Rail and Harrogate Borough
Council.
This new footbridge will be fully accessible for pedestrians,
wheelchairs, pushchairs and cyclists. It will
link into Harrogate Borough Council's cycle route from Bilton to
the town centre and provide easier access to Granby High School
from the Bilton area.
Funded with a £500,000 contribution from North Yorkshire
County Council's Local Transport Plan, the project will be managed
on the county council's behalf by Harrogate Borough Council and
Network Rail. Network Rail is also providing
£50,000 to create this new modern and user-friendly
footbridge.
This is a milestone in both Harrogate Borough Council and
North Yorkshire County Council's plans to encourage more people to
cycle and walk and it should help to reduce traffic congestion on
our busy roads. The new bridge has been designed
to accommodate a new Bilton Railway Station in the future and is
just one of a series of major investment plans by Network
Rail.
The existing bridge is difficult to use because there are
steps at both ends, which means wheelchair users cannot use it,
parents with prams find it difficult and cyclists have to carry
their bikes over the bridge.
County Councillor Peter Sowray, Executive Member for
Environmental Services North Yorkshire County Council,
said: "We are delighted to have been able to
fund this project which will make walking and cycling more
accessible across the Harrogate area."
Welcoming the news of the project, Councillor Julian Sturdy,
Cabinet Member for Transport at Harrogate Borough Council, said:
"So many people are waiting for this new bridge.
It is certainly going to open up the cycle route network and give
many more people easier access to the town centre, schools and,
indeed, the bus and railway stations. We are
extremely grateful to North Yorkshire County Council and Network
Rail. If we are to reduce traffic congestion
then we have to make the extra investment to improve the
alternatives."
The footbridge has been designed in consultation with the
three partners and is being built by C Spencer Ltd of Barrow in
Lincolnshire.
Network Rail will be taking pupils from Woodfield County
Primary School to see the bridge being fabricated.
Dyan Crowther, Route Director, Network Rail
said: "We are pleased to be working in
partnership with North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate
Borough Council to deliver this new footbridge which will improve
access and links for pedestrians and cyclists in the local
area. ENDS
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: 3.30 pm Monday,
23 May 2005. Pupils from Harrogate Granby High
School who use this crossing will join representatives from the two
councils and Network Rail at a 'big digger' turf turning
ceremony.
Harrogate Granby High School is to revert back to its
former name of Harrogate High School from the new September
term. New stylish uniforms have been designed
and the pupils will be 'modelling'
them.
We are also expecting some pupils from Woodfield
County Primary School to attend on their bicycles.
Representatives of the media should turn down Grove
Park Terrace.
off Skipton Road and then into Grove Park Avenue,
Harrogate.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Local residents
are being kept informed about the works, which will start on site
on 23 May. The new bridge will be lifted in in
July. The old bridge will be lifted out in
August.
Media
Contacts: Tony Webster,
North Yorkshire County Council press office on 01609532206; Lynne
Mee, Communications and Media Manager, Harrogate Borough Council
and Carolyn Watson, Media Relations Manager, Network Rail on 01904
522825.