A cash boost of more than £60m is set to transform key travel routes across Kirklees.
Kirklees Council secured the investment from the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF). It will be used to deliver a series of transport improvements to make it easier to walk, cycle and use public transport, with the aim of connecting communities to more jobs, training and education opportunities.
From Monday, 14 July, work is expected to start on the A638 Dewsbury to Cleckheaton Sustainable Travel Corridor. The council says that this will link residents in Dewsbury, Heckmondwike and Cleckheaton to employment, education and healthcare, while strengthening links between Kirklees and Bradford.
The A638 scheme will prioritise pedestrian safety with new controlled crossings and provide better public transport provision with a new bus lane on Bradford Road. This comes in a bid to improve reliability and make public transport a more convenient and attractive alternative to driving.
On top of this, improvements are already underway on the Spen Valley Greenway, enhancing accessibility, surface quality, lighting, signage and safety along the route.
Over in Huddersfield, the first phase of the Huddersfield Rail Station Connections scheme will get underway on Northumberland Street in the town centre later this month. Currently dominated by traffic and busy junctions, Northumberland Street is set for a big transformation and aims to bring the streets to life with high-quality paving, wider footways and improved cycle infrastructure, creating a more welcoming and accessible environment for all.
With further upgrades planned for Trinity Street and St. John’s Road, the Huddersfield Rail Station Connections scheme is set to improve links between the towns rail and bus stations, to support more sustainable and efficient journeys.
Cllr Moses Crook, Deputy Leader of the council and Cabinet Member for Housing and Transport said: “It’s great to see spades in the ground on these really important transport schemes.
“We understand that there will be some short term disruption, but once completed, these schemes are set to have lasting positive impacts, opening up better access to more education, employment and training opportunities across Kirklees and beyond.
“The works in Dewsbury and Huddersfield will be carried out with minimum disruption and I’d like to encourage people to continue to visit our town centres and support our fantastic independent businesses.”
Traffic management will be in place while works are carried out, with details available online at: https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/transport-schemes
These transport schemes form part of the council’s wider vision to create healthy, vibrant town centres where people can live, work and relax. They sit alongside other major investments including at Dewsbury and Huddersfield bus stations, Network Rail’s multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade as well as the ambitious Our Cultural Heart project, Grade II listed George Hotel and the town’s historic open markets.
