Candidates standing in next week's Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election have backed proposed new measures to encourage walking and cycling in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Council is consulting on plans to introduce crossings at the junctions of Slingsby Walk and Oatlands Drive Slingsby Walk and Wetherby Road.

It hopes the move will encourage fewer journeys by car in a part of town densely populated by schoolchildren.

The Stray Ferret asked the five candidates standing in Thursday's by-election for a seat on North Yorkshire Council for their views on the proposal.

Liberal Democrat candidate Andrew Timothy, who will be defending the seat for the Lib Dems following Pat Marsh's resignation in February, was the only one not to respond.

The Conservative, Labour, Green and Reform UK candidates all, however, supported the proposal.

John Ennis, who finished runner-up for the Tories when the seat was last contested in 2022, said:

Labour candidate Geoff Foxall, a former Harrogate borough councillor, said:

Gilly Charters, who is representing the Green Party, said many residents in the Saints area were worried about child safety  and the crossings would address this and support active travel.

She added:

Reform UK candidate John Swales said he supported the crossings but "with a number of concerns, or reservations".

He said it wasn't clear how the pre-consultation was undertaken, and why motorists were not included, or why the cost of the schemes had appeared to increase since they were first mooted.

Mr Swales added:

The deadline for comments is Sunday, April 14. For more information and to view the plans, click here

Any comments should be emailed to Area6.Boroughbridge@northyorks.gov.uk using 'Oatlands Drive/Wetherby Road crossing consultation' in the email title.

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