News

Ripon Roads Start To Flow Again

Tuesday 29 April

Following the chaos that reigned on Monday morning as we saw Coltsgate Hill closed, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Ripon motorist.

The cause of the mayhem that many suffered on Monday was purely caused by the North Yorkshire County Council not getting all the necessary diversion signs up in time. This caused a larger than normal volume of traffic arrive in the Market Square and get stuck. It makes you wonder though as they had months to prepare for Monday morning.

Anthony Blackburn, from the Ripon Area Business Association, who was part of the emergency meeting called with Council representatives and the Highways Agency on Monday afternoon, has stated that by Wednesday morning all the correct diversionary measure will be put in place.

Throughout these early stages of the changes to the flow of traffic, the situation will be closely monitored and the diversions reviewed. The Business Association and the Council will be taking feedback from the motorists so that the next nine months goes as smoothly as possible. These initial diversions have been planned, but only time will tell what the tweaks need to be to improve them, and this will be done over the coming weeks.

Additional key points were added to the traffic scheme to help ease the conjestion:
1. Kirkgate to reopen to all non-HGV traffic
2. At the bottom of Duck Hill, you can only turn left
3. Barriers to be removed on Water Skellgate to open up a second lane
4. Rephasing traffic lights on Skellgate / Somerset Row
5. Remove Access Only order on Firby Lane, and allow to be used as normal
6. Remove no entry sign to Moss Arcade
7. New signs on Bedern Bank roundabout
8. Better Give-Way signs on Westgate
9. Better signage on the by-pass to discourage HGV from coming into the centre
10. Market Place East roadworks to take place at night.

For more details see the article on BBC North Yorkshire or on the Ripon Gazette

Comments

1. (Tuesday 29 April) Well I won't be walking or shopping in Ripon until this gets sorted. As a parent, I feel the city looks like a war zone, and as I drove down westgate this morning, which was dead for whatever reason, parents and pushchairs where in just in the road... i guess thats due to lack of pavement space..

2. (Wednesday 30 April) I've really enjoyed the lack of congestion, both as a pedestrian & driver. Luxury to be able to come straight down westgate onto the market square from Kirkby Malzeard, without having to squeeze down college road & coltsgate hill...make it permanent, I say!

3. (Monday 05 May) I think some people expect Ripon to be improved without any disruption,sadly there will always be problems when improvements of this scale take place but think of the positives for the future.I'm sure some folks could walk into town rather than 'take the car' when it's not really needed!

4. (Tuesday 13 May) No, looked again and Bishopton was not on the diversion list! It is very bad. I think we should take the pain as others do for the time needed, but it would be good if after it has finished for some traffic control on the road to ensure that those that have made habit of using the rat run go back to using the main roads.

5. (Tuesday 13 May) A customer of our shop that uses an electric wheel chair has had problems along Westgate with raised tarmac that appears to be just dumped. If some kind passers by had not stopped to help, she would have been stranded.