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Harrogate MP to Government: 'Compensate businesses for roadworks disruption'

Friday, 27 June 2025 14:45

Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Local MP Tom Gordon has called on the Government to compensate businesses for disruption caused by "never-ending" roadworks in the area.

Tom Gordon, the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, spoke in Parliament after throwing his support behind an amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill earlier this month.

The amendment would have seen businesses compensated for loss of revenue resulting from roadworks that have affected their trade.

Roadworks have taken place on some of Harrogate’s most-used roads throughout the last few months, including the ever-busy Leeds Road and Skipton Road.

North Yorkshire Council claims they do not allow all major routes to have works at the same time.

But Tom has questioned whether North Yorkshire Council are "properly checking" that roads are resurfaced properly following roadworks.

Tom said:

“The quantity of roadworks blighting our town over the past 6 months has beggared belief. Whilst the works might well be necessary, there is clearly very little planning going into the scheduling of roadworks.

"The situation in Harrogate, where we have had multiple routes disrupted at once, is unacceptable in a town already blighted by congestion.

“North Yorkshire Council need to ensure that their process for planning and permitting roadworks is transparent, so that residents can see what is going to happen when.

“But we also need to see recognition from North Yorkshire that roadworks are more than just an inconvenience. There are real, tangible effects on businesses too, and a compensation scheme for them should be in place.”

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