Kirklees Council is expected to take control of the multi-million pound Cooper Bridge scheme, with construction expected to begin in 2028.
The A62 to Cooper Bridge Corridor Improvement Scheme spans the border of both Kirklees and Calderdale councils, though the majority of the scheme lies within Kirklees Council’s administrative area. The £53.5m scheme, which is funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), is intended to provide highway benefits, improve bus journey times and reliability, support bus franchising, and unlock new housing and employment land.
Due to the project’s focus in the Kirklees area, Kirklees Council is already taking the lead but the local authority will be asked to assume more powers from Calderdale Council to deliver it. This has already been agreed “in principle” and would allow a single planning application to be determined by Kirklees when the time comes. Kirklees Council would also be able to implement the planning consent and monitor compliance with its conditions or obligations on Calderdale’s land as well as its own.
The move would result in greater financial responsibility for Kirklees, including the risks associated with going over budget and all future costs associated with the determination of the plans and their implementation. Members of the Strategic Planning Committee will be asked to comment on the proposals at their meeting this week, with a formal decision to be made by Full Council. Cabinet will also have to consider the transfer.
A report explains that if the powers are not accepted, there would remain a “significant risk” of each council taking “inconsistent” approaches when determining plans and dealing with any associated conditions. This could cause confusion among the public and officers and in turn, lead to delays, it adds.
The scheme is currently at the outline business case stage. If the powers are handed over as planned, a period of public consultation is expected to take place this summer, with a planning application due to be submitted in autumn. Approval to proceed to a full business case is expected in early 2027, with construction to be carried out from early 2028 to late 2029 if WYCA gives the go-ahead.
The existing A62/A644 Cooper Bridge junction operates as a signalised three-arm roundabout linking the A62 Cooper Bridge Road to the south, the A644 Wakefield Road to the west, and the A62 Leeds Road to the east. The junction forms one of the busiest corridors in the district and currently experiences significant congestion.
To combat this, the proposed improvements would: increase the junction’s capacity and improve traffic flow; deliver segregated cycling infrastructure; improve walking and shared use routes by upgrading footways and enhancing pedestrian and cyclist environments; introduce new and improved signal-controlled crossings; and contribute to public transport improvements across the wider corridor.
