A major overhaul of one of Bradford’s busiest junctions could finally get underway – more than seven years after improvements were first proposed.
The junction where Toller Lane, Whetley Hill, Whetley Lane and Carlisle Road meet was first earmarked for major improvements in 2019 as part of a city-wide drive to tackle congestion at some of Bradford’s worst traffic hotspots.
Now the long-awaited scheme is expected to receive a further £6.6 million funding boost.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Investment Committee will be asked to approve the additional money when it meets next week, taking the total budget for the scheme to £8.56m.
If approved, work could begin in October and is expected to be completed by November 2027.
The scheme will include new bus priority signals, eight signal-controlled pedestrian crossings, a new Toucan crossing, changes to the road layout and the permanent closure of Cross Road to traffic.
Fifty-four trees will also be planted alongside more than 3,300 square metres of soft landscaping.
It is hoped the changes will cut journey times through the junction by around 25 per cent.
But congestion is not the only concern.
There have been 31 road traffic casualties on this stretch of road over the past five years, including five incidents involving cyclists or pedestrians.
The junction is also an important route between Bradford city centre and Bradford Royal Infirmary, with the Combined Authority warning that increasing congestion risks affecting ambulances and patients trying to reach the hospital.
Traffic data from 2024 shows average journeys through the area during the evening rush hour take around 12 minutes, twice as long as during the morning peak and almost three times the off-peak journey time of around four minutes.
Bus services are also affected by the congestion.
Services 617 and 618 pass through the junction approximately every 15 minutes, connecting communities from Allerton in north-west Bradford to Holme Wood in the south-east.
A report going before the committee said: “Given the high volume of traffic, the Toller Lane junction experiences significant congestion, with traffic queueing during the morning and evening peak periods, leading to unreliable and longer journey times.
“Congestion also impacts bus services, resulting in long journey times and poor journey time reliability.”
It added: “The Toller Lane junction is also a key route to Bradford Royal Infirmary from the city centre, therefore increasing levels of congestion risks impacting ambulances and patients seeking to access the Hospital.
“There are several accident clusters at the junction, and the number and severity of collisions has increased in recent years, with 31 casualties in the last five-year period. Of these incidents, five (16 per cent) have involved cyclist or pedestrian casualties.”
What will change?
The proposed improvements include:
- Two new bus priority signals.
- Segregated left-turn slip lanes onto Toller Lane from Whetley Lane and Carlisle Road.
- Eight new signal-controlled pedestrian crossings and one Toucan crossing.
- The permanent closure of Cross Road to simplify the junction and reduce traffic conflicts.
- Wider and improved footways along Church Street and Whetley Lane.
- A 50-metre new cycle lane between Cross Road and Church Street.
- An upgraded bus stop shelter.
- The planting of 54 trees and 3,345 square metres of soft landscaping.
- More than 8,500 square metres of highway resurfacing.
A number of derelict properties around the junction were demolished years ago in anticipation of the improvement scheme.
However, the report says eight small plots of land still need to be acquired before the project can proceed.
Negotiations with landowners are continuing, although Compulsory Purchase Orders could be used if agreements cannot be reached.
Why has it taken seven years?
The Toller Lane project originally formed part of a wider Thornton Road and Toller Lane improvement programme, which received outline business case approval in 2019.
But funding pressures eventually led to the two projects being separated in 2024.
Although money was provided to develop full business cases for both schemes, delivery funding was initially allocated only to Thornton Road because that project was further advanced and designed to integrate with the West Bradford Cycle Superhighway.
Work on the Thornton Road scheme is due to begin in summer 2026.
The Combined Authority has since reviewed projects within its existing capital programme to identify schemes that are sufficiently developed to make use of remaining funding, with Toller Lane now prioritised.
But the lengthy wait has come at a price.
According to the report, costs have increased by around 20 per cent since the original outline business case because of delays and the need for redesign and remodelling work.
Despite the increase, officials say the £8.56m scheme remains affordable within the current Transport Capital Programme and represents high value for money.
If the additional funding is approved, the seven-year wait to transform one of Bradford’s busiest and most congested junctions could finally be coming to an end.
