I HAVE read with interest the recent article and correspondence in the Craven Herald regarding proposals to fell a mature ash tree on the road to Embsay (Skipton Road), Skipton.

It not only highlights the ‘disconnect between Craven Planning and Highways’ but a more widespread lack of joined up thinking.

Globally, it is now accepted that urgent and effective action must be taken to reverse the causes of global warming.

Strategies that regularly feature in your pages are tree planting and encouraging walking and cycling rather than car use.

To make walking more attractive to the occupants of the new houses on the ‘Pig Field’ site, (Corner Fields) the developers are seeking to provide a convenient pedestrian access to the Skipton - Embsay road.

This would ensure an attractive route into town via The Bailey. The problem, however, is getting across the road to Embsay.

The proposed location of the crossing seems to have been dictated by convenience - being the only place where the footpath on the other side of the road is not raised up above the carriageway.

The trouble is that it is far from ideal in road safety terms with blind bends, sharply changing gradients, a narrow carriageway and reasonably high traffic flows.

So what’s the solution? It’s tempting to reply “Well, it’s only one tree that has to be removed to make the crossing safer, so what’s all the fuss?” But in cases like this it is so often 'just one or two or a half dozen trees' that need to be sacrificed but when the numbers are aggregated across Britain the total would probably equate to a forest of mature trees – a case of one foot on the brake and one on the accelerator as far as tackling climate change is concerned!

Instead, a change of perspective is required. It is not the tree that is ‘dangerous’ but the speed of the traffic – motorists needing longer sight lines the faster they drive.

The solution, then, should be simple – a 30mph limit from the junction with Harrogate Road to a point on Embsay side of the junction with Cross Bank would not unduly add to the journey times of motorists and would save a healthy mature tree from needless destruction, reduce the risk to pedestrians when crossing from both the ‘Pig Field’ and Cross Bank developments and would bring some welcome joined up thinking to our efforts to tackle the Climate Emergency that has been declared by the local authority.

The Highway Authority’s response that a speed limit is unnecessary is clearly unacceptable.

Steve Wilton

Skipton