Keep Ripon Moving

WORK on the construction of the link road for the west of Market Place development is now underway, forcing the closure of Coltsgate Hill.

**The latest updates to the diversions in Ripon**

Ban on traffic turning right from Water Skellgate into High Skellgate.

Reversal of the present one-way system on Westgate.

The opening of Kirkgate to traffic.

A ban on turning right at the bottom of Duck Hill except taxis and busses to be exempt.

Diversion routes around Coltsgate Hill:
From the west - via Blossomgate, Westgate, Market Place.
From the north and east - via North Street, Market Place, Kirkgate, Duck Hill, Water Skellgate, Somerset Row, Skell Bank, Mallorie Park Drive, Studley Road and Church Lane.

The closure of the road, which is well-used by motorists to avoid the busy one-way system around the market square, puts extra strain on the city centre routes as drivers try to make their way across Ripon.
To keep traffic flowing in the city, a scheme of diversion routes and restrictions has been implemented by North Yorkshire County Council. The temporary changes, which are expected to be in force until the end of the year, were drawn up by the council in partnership with the local business community and Ripon City Council.
The diversions will be assesed and updated or altered at regular meetings of the partnership. To help motorists from outside the city get to Ripon’s central car parks, a map of recommended routes has also been published.

Click here for a map of the routes affected

We want to know what you think of the five-point plan and the recommended routes -

Will they work?
Could they be improved?
What impact are the traffic changes going to have on your journey?

Let us know by posting a message below


Coltsgate Hill could be closed until the end of the year.	The one-way system on Westgate is reversed.

Traffic is banned from turning right at this junction on Water Skellgate to go up High Skellgate.	Access-only for vehicles (except buses and taxis) travelling east into Moss's Arcade.

Bloggs 11:18:43 AM 11 May 2008

So, the Police are going to monitor the situation and nick motorists disobeying the new no right turn signs onto High Skelgate and the no right turn from duck Hill. Well that's a laugh as we never see the Police anyway. But why did the driver of the 36 bus feel it necessary to negotiate a multipoint turn in order to turn right at the bottom of Duck Hill? I then had to avoid the woman travelling DOWN High Skelgate. Still, think positive. No parking cones have just gone up on Skellbank. Borrage Lane open then?

Withheld 10:01:30 AM 10 May 2008

In my opinion, all the diversions currently in place should be removed, with the exception, of course, of Coltsgate Hill, where I believe traffic coming into Ripon should simply travel down Firby Lane/via Mallorie Park as was previously the case. I see no reason why drivers coming into town from the South should be inconvenienced by not being able to turn right from Water Skellgate into High Skellgate or why the traffic flow should have been reversed along Westgate. After all, the benefits currently gained by drivers entering Ripon "the wrong way" via Westgate are countered by them being diverted around Mallorie Park when travelling out of town. I have also observed traffic turning right at the bottom of Duck Hill, where it does not seem to have been made clear that this should not now happen, or that traffic can now "legally" travel along Kirkgate. And why is it "access only" for vehicles travelling east into Moss's Arcade? The current diversions are ludicrous and the resulting traffic jams horrendous. Does anyone take notice of this feedback?

Charlie 10:46:03 PM 09 May 2008

Go on NYCC, we know you want to do it - reverse the flow around the square!

Bri Derbyshire 4:39:03 PM 09 May 2008

An update to this site would be a Good Thing - the particularly useless restriction on access into Moss's Arcade has been lifted, but it still features prominently.
Bottom of Duck Hill - if we have to go left and round the Bedern Bank roundabout (proper right turn impeded by Lego blocks) for heaven's sake give us a sign to say so and not a straight "right turn for Westgate diversion." (Apologies if it's happened already.)
Top of High Skellgate - Westgate traffic has to give way. OK - so take the blinkers off the top of the Lego blocks so that those of us not in tractors can see if there's anything to give way to!

It would be interesting to know if the intention of the original scheme really was to cause such havoc as to persuade everybody to use the bypass for any and all journeys, rather than to make the best of an admittedly difficult situation. We're going to take some serious convincing that it wasn't.

Martin Dodsworth 3:51:50 PM 09 May 2008

We pay NYCC traffic engineers to solve problems,not create them.Please lets go back to the original system and let the school traffic solve their own problem for an hour a day.More problems have been created with this bodged mess up.

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