North Yorkshire Council has agreed to scrap parts of its £7.8m Skipton Gateway scheme due to cost pressures.
The council’s Conservative executive voted to move forward with the project at a meeting in Northallerton this morning but said a planned reconfiguration of Skipton railway station’s car park will be removed as will pedestrian improvements to Broughton Road.
A report that went before councillors said the changes were necessary as the contractors budget has increased “considerably”.
It also said flood protection requirements in the station car park, restricted working hours and constrained working locations have all added to the cost
This is despite councillors granting planning permission to the car park changes earlier this month.
It means the project will now only consists of improvements to Black Walk, the canal path and the Gallows Bridge replacement.
The council’s executive member for highways, Keane Duncan, said today: “Delivering capital projects of this scale in an era of high inflation and supply chain issues is not straightforward and not easy. It’s important we as an executive do not shy away from that reality. It’s important we are clear and realistic about what we can achieve.
“Our revised proposals focus on the core elements with the most public support and are built on cross-party engagement and frank and honest conversations.
“We are not reneging on the ambition and scale of our overall vision. The update today represents positive progress and puts us in the best possible position to deliver this landmark package of investment whilst avoid potential pitfalls, delays and constraints that we’re being very honest about.”
Funding for the Skipton Gateway, which has already increased from £5.8m to £7.8m, was won through the government’s Transforming Cities Fund — a grant aimed at boosting cycling and walking access in urban areas.
However, the finished project is set to look different to what was originally envisaged which is likely to disappoint proponents of non-car travel.
The proposals had also included a cycle lane on Broughton Road between Skipton train station and the town centre, but this was scrapped in 2021 after concerns were raised over the safety of cyclists and loss of a taxi rank.
The report added “It is recognised that omitting the rail station approach dilutes the original vision, but officers are working to identify alternative sources of funding to deliver this in the short-to medium term and in line with the wider strategic vision for this part of Skipton.”
A full business case for the revised scheme is set to be submitted to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority next month.
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