IT was 50 years ago when people in Craven got their first glimpse of Skipton's long awaited new roads to bypass the town centre. It's hard to think of a time when all traffic went through Skipton town centre, but it did; and just imagine if it all still came through today. Lesley Tate looks back.

 

It was in July, 1974 that the then minister for transport Fred Mulley announced proposals for a £5 million 2.6 mile Western Bypass and a 3.2 mile Northern Bypass of Skipton; although it was to be almost ten years before the new roads were opened.

An exhibition of the plans was held in Skipton Town Hall over three days with officials from the Department of the Environment on hand to answer questions.

In a statement, the minister said: " Skipton is an historic town whose environment is badly affected by traffic congestion.the proposed by-passes will remove much of this traffic, reduce congestion, increase safety and free the streets of the town for those who have business there. The bypasses will also remove a notorious bottle neck of two major routes through this part of Yorkshire."

In Skipton and the surrounding district, the announcement was hailed with tremendous enthusiasm, even excitement in some more emotional quarters, reported the Craven Herald.

"There is almost unqualified support for the proposals, said the Herald art the time.

In the edition of July 26, 1974, under the upper-case headline 'RELIEF FOR SKIPTON' and with the strapline 'Town welcomes big new forward step towards Western and Northern Bypasses, the Herald included an 'official map showing how bypasses will be routed'.

The minister said the western bypass would have dual two-lane carriageways throughout and start at a new roundabout to be built on the then existing North-West of the Doncaster to Kendal trunk road - otherwise known as the A65 - northwest of Aireville Grange. It would run southwards to cross a diverted section of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the existing A59 Liverpool - Preston - Leeds road at Niffany, then south-east to cross the Leeds-Carlisle railway line.

Continuing on that course, it would pass south of Waltonwrays Cemetery then swing slightly southwards to cross the Leeds-Carlisle railway line to end at a point south of the Bay Horse pub at Snaygill, where the route had been designed to be continuous with the proposed all-purpose trunk road section of the Airedale route.

The Northern bypass would start at the existing junction with the A59, west of Ingley Bridge, cross the River Aire, the railway line and canal to a new roundabout on the A65 near Aireville Grange. It would then continue to a new roundabout at the junction of Grassington Road and Raikes Road, then pass to the south-west of Skipton Golf Club, through the northern corner of Castle Woods to join the A59 Knaresborough Road which would become a trunk road to a new roundabout at Skibeden. From this roundabout, the bypass would run to join the existing A65 east of the access road to Close House. It was to be two lanes, except for a section between Aireville Grange and Grassington Road roundabouts, where, because of the steep gradient, it was proposed to provide a third lane for slower, east-bound traffic.

The Herald reported several alternative schemes for dealing with the 'complex' traffic situation in and around Skipton had been considered. A single western bypass was rejected because it would have had no effect on east-west traffic; and new or improved routes through the town were also rejected because they would intrude into a built-up area of historic importance, requiring the demolition of many dwellings and business premises.

Ri chard Lofthouse, chairman of the former Skipton Road Safety Committee, which had pressed for bypasses, told the Herald that he was 'highly delighted' adding that he could not see many objections to the scheme.

Katherine Farey, antiquarian and bookseller, and chairman of the former Skipton Urban Council, until it went under local government reorganisation, but at the time a member of the town council, said it was long overdue. Herald, which reported her comments as a 'woman's voice' said: "The town will now be able to plan its future with greater confidence. It is to be regretted that the plans should go on view when the Skipton holiday week when only a minority of the townspeople can see them."

Dennis Chew, a milk retailer who had lived in the town all his life, said a bypass of Skipton had been on the books as long ago as 1936 and the proposed northern section followed much the same route as had been proposed 38 years earlier, when the route had been 'pegged out'.

"It will be a wonderful thing for Skipton. It will mean that tradesmen in the town will be able to move about instead of being held up in the traffic for long periods," he said.

Ronald Parker, owner of a ladies' outfitters in Newmarket Street, said that almost everyone agreed that the bypasses were long overdue. "In holiday times in the past few years, the town has been almost choked. People will be able to look round without having to dodge in and out of the traffic."

Kenneth Robinson, a former engineer and surveyor to Skipton Urban Council, and chairman of Skipton Civic Society, said the route would be whole heartedly accepted in principle by his members.

He said 36 years previous he had inspected a proposed western bypass which was the same as the route announced by the minster Mr Malley.

The bypasses opened in two sections - the northern part in December, 1981 and the western bypass in the following year. The cost was £16.5 million, considerably more than the £5million, says Ian Lockwood in his book, The History of Skipton.