Category Archives: Transport

Community, Council News, Infrastructure, Transport

£3.5 Million To Boost Travel Around Wakefield

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Wakefield Council’s decision makers will be asked to give the green light to £3.5million of transport improvements when they meet next week.

Following successful recent bids, the district is set to benefit from £2.8million of funding from the Department for Transport’s Active Travel Fund and £720,000 of funding from Network Rail. The Active Travel Fund will support the completion of two schemes which will make it easier and safer for residents to walk and cycle around the district.

This includes £2.55million to extend the existing Dando Way to provide a link between Ackworth and Fitzwilliam for cycling and walking and to upgrade part of the existing route in Ackworth. The route will be widened to provide more space for cycling and walking. The upgrading of existing paths around the southside of Fitzwilliam Country Park will allow walking and cycling access to the railway station at Fitzwilliam all year round.

The funding from Network Rail will allow for improvements to be made in and around Castleford Train Station.

Cllr Matthew Morley, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Highways, commented on the Active Travel funding: “Active travel creates healthier lifestyles and a healthier environment, and that’s why we want to make it easier for our residents to choose alternatives to using a car, by improving conditions for pedestrians and cyclists and access to employment and train stations.”

Cllr Michael Graham, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth, said of the Network Rail funding: “It is important that as part of our regeneration plans for Castleford we re-connect key parts of the town. Making it easier, safer, and more pleasant to walk from the train station to the town centre is central to us doing that.”

“This will give our local businesses a real boost and bring more money into the town centre, as well as contributing to a greener district. The station improvements in 2022 have already had a significant impact and received positive feedback. It’s great to continue the positivity around the station and the surrounding area.”

The other £224,171 scheme which will be completed from the Active Travel Fund is to upgrade part of Grandstand Road at Outwood by resurfacing and widening a 500m section of path that connects Outwood railway station to the Junction 41 Industrial Park and a new pedestrian crossing on Lingwell Gate Lane.

For Castleford train station, improvements to the town’s transport hubs are an important part of the Council’s ambitious regeneration plans for the town centre. Currently the routes from the train station to the shops, bars and cafes are disconnected.

The funding will allow for further lighting and CCTV to ensure that residents and visitors feel and are safer when walking through town, as well as increasing its visual appeal through the installation of new and vibrant artwork, signage, green areas and new seating.

The decision will be taken at the next Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 13 June.

Communication, Huddersfield, News, Transport, Transport Headlines

Huge Bridge Beams Lifted Into Place

Two huge cranes, one weighing over 1000 tonnes, have been used to lift beams into place as part of a new bridge spanning the Calder and Hebble navigation, around Salterhebble, near Halifax.

Eight beams, 48 metres long, three metres wide and weighing over 250 tonnes in total, have been guided into position using the two cranes. They form part of a new bridge and link road between the A629, Calderdale Way and Stainland Road.

The beams being used are so huge, they had to be delivered to the construction site under movement order and a police escort, which required parts of the M62 and A629 to be closed.

The bridge scheme is part of phase 1b of the A629 improvement programme, which is funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. It is one of the largest individual civil engineering project ever undertaken by Calderdale Council, with the road layout around the Salterhebble area being completely transformed.

The project aims to improve road safety and journey times between Huddersfield and Halifax and will also include improved facilities for pedestrians, public transport users and cyclists. Improving the efficiency of the A629 is forecast to reduce ‘rat-running’ through adjacent communities such as Elland, West Vale, Siddal, Exley, Copley and Skircoat. It’s all part of the wider investment in, and regeneration of, Calderdale as part of the Council’s priority to develop thriving towns and places.

The Council is working on the project in partnership with the contractor John Sisk & Son and work is progressing well. Major elements of the project are already nearing completion, including the reconfiguration of the Jubilee Road junction and new resident parking lay-by. The construction of new walls and stonework along the A629 Huddersfield Road is also close to completion and works are underway to prepare the land behind for landscaping.

The full phase 1b project is due to be completed in late 2023 / early 2024. Some elements will be open earlier, such as the new link bridge which is due to open to traffic in summer this year. Restrictions on traffic movement will also be removed as soon as possible during this year. Updates and frequently asked questions about the works can be found here.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy, Councillor Jane Scullion, said: “The bridge lift marks a major milestone in the progress of phase 1b of the A629 improvement project and I’d like to congratulate those involved in successfully completing the beam lift works. An engineering project of this scale requires an incredible amount of planning, not only to lift the extremely large and heavy beams, but also to manage the logistics of transporting them to the site.”

“Now the bridge structure is in place, we can see how the project will transform the landscape around the Calder and Hebble junction. As we reach the final year of the project, we’ll continue to see major changes which will ultimately create benefits for all transport users in the area and complement wider work around the borough, investment in our towns and our priority to create thriving places.”

Councillor Peter Carlill, deputy chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee said: “This is a colossal engineering project, and I am hugely impressed with the planning and work that has gone into this.”

“The scheme is so important for the people living in Calderdale and beyond, as it will help solve a bottleneck on the area’s roads, meaning the people living there will be safer.”

“We are pleased to see the scheme also includes improved access for those walking and cycling, as well as helping bus services to be more reliable with the reduced traffic.”

Sisk Managing Director, Dominic Hodges, said: “This is an important and exciting milestone for the project. Our team has worked very hard with Calderdale Council, our supply chain and numerous stakeholders to plan the logistics for this large-scale operation. It’s fantastic that all the hard work is now paying off.”

“Many people working on the project are local and feel proud to be involved in leaving such a legacy for the area.”

The A629 Phase 1b scheme has received over £28 million funding through the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, and the Leeds City Region Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of Government investment through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), delivered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.

Council News, Infrastructure, Transport

Transport Summit Marks Direction Of Travel For Hull

Key organisations from across the city have pledged to work together to help improve Hull’s transport network after taking part in Hull City Council’s transport summit.

Representatives from the council and a wide range of industries, including public transport, retail and health, as well as cycling and environmental groups, met at the Hilton Doubletree in Ferensway.

Topics under discussion included:

  • How to make the city easier to move around
  • How to make transport more environmentally friendly
  • The role the city’s transport network plays in successful business growth
  • How to make the city’s transport network safer.

    As part of the event, participants signed a pledge “to continue to work together to ensure that Hull’s transport network makes it easy for people to get around the city, is accessible to all, and helps make Hull a great place to live, work and visit.”

    After becoming leader of the council in May, Councillor Mike Ross promised to bring the city’s key businesses and stakeholders around the table to work with them to improve Hull’s transport network.

    Councillor Ross said: “On day one, I said that improving Hull’s transport system was a major priority. The survey and the summit show how seriously we’re taking it, and how we’re determined to let people who use Hull’s roads have their say.”

    “Today has been a tremendous start. It’s been a chance to get everyone around the table, to hear different views and start planning how to make Hull’s transport network more effective.”

    “Alongside our roads survey, which has been completed by over 21,000 local residents, views of key stakeholders are important to a new approach to Hull’s transport network.”

    Those taking part in the summit included representatives from Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, The University of Hull, Hull Cars, Hull Friends of the Earth and many other organisations.

    This summit is the first in a series of high-profile engagement events, designed to help Hull City Council listen to people across the city and work with them to build a transport network that works for everyone.
Council Headlines, Council News, Infrastructure, Transport, West Yorkshire

Still Time To Have Your Say On Local Plan

There are just a few weeks left to share feedback as part of the final public consultation for Calderdale’s Local Plan.

Residents and businesses can have their say about changes to the plan, known as the ‘main modifications’, recommended by the Planning Inspector. The consultation began on 12 August and the deadline to submit feedback is now approaching, with comments being accepted until 5pm on Friday 7 October 2022.

In March 2022, the Council received a letter from the independent Planning Inspector Ms Katie Child, outlining her interim findings on the draft Local Plan.

The Inspector was appointed by the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to consider a range of issues relating to the draft Local Plan, including housing, employment, transport, town centres and retailing and climate change.

The main modifications were recommended by the Planning Inspector to make sure that Calderdale’s Local Plan is sound and legally compliant.
The Local Plan identifies development areas for economic growth and sites for new homes in Calderdale over the next 15 years. Once approved it will be reviewed in years five and 10.

Cllr Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy, said: “The deadline is approaching to have your say on the changes, or ‘main modifications’ to the Local Plan, following correspondence with the Planning Inspector. The Inspector’s final conclusions will take account of the feedback submitted in response to this consultation and will help ensure that the final adopted Local Plan is right for Calderdale.”

“Having an adopted Local Plan will allow us to manage future development effectively as well as safeguard the environment and the borough’s distinctive character. It also ensures we can develop the facilities and infrastructure required to support this growth and secure the investment that we need to do this.”

To take part in the consultation, all comments on the main modifications must be made in writing to the Council by 5pm on Friday 7 October 2022. These can be submitted via the online Consultation Portal here

Alternatively, Representation Forms are available on request from libraries and Customer First offices.

The Calderdale Local Plan and relevant supporting documents are available for Inspection online here and at all Calderdale libraries during their normal opening hours.

The Planning Inspector will need to consider responses received during the public consultation and should then be in a position to issue her final report. The Council can then proceed to adopt the Calderdale Local Plan.
The draft Local Plan supports the ‘Vision2024 for Calderdale’ themes of distinctiveness, resilience and enterprise.

The year 2024 marks Calderdale’s 50th birthday. Where do we want to be by 2024? Get involved with the debate on Twitter with #VisionCdale2024 and find out more here

Community, Council News, Transport, Transport Headlines

Mini-Holland Scheme Could Come To Hull

Hull is one of 19 places that has been awarded funding from central government to pilot a Mini-Holland scheme in the city. Local company Local Transport Projects Ltd will be carrying out a study into how the scheme could work in Hull.

The study will begin this month and cover the areas of Kingswood and Bransholme. The two areas were identified as ideal locations for the project as there is the space to enhance the road network, offering the opportunity to encourage more people to use sustainable transport.

The two areas also include existing transport links around the city which can be enhanced by the mini-Holland project, delivering a joined-up scheme to improve the pedestrian and cyclist experience.

If the plans go ahead, Hollwell Road in Bransholme could see an off-road segregated pedestrian and cycle facility linking directly to the Stoneferry corridor.

Bransholme centre and Kingswood Retail Park are also major bus interchanges which accommodate a number of frequent services. The scheme would look at delivering improvements to the pedestrian network in order to make it easier to access these services, offering multi-modal travel for local residents.

It would also improve links to large employment hubs such as the Sutton Fields industrial estate, in which over 1,500 people from the nearby residential areas work.

Councillor Mark Ieronimo, Portfolio Holder for Transportation, Roads, Highways, said: “The feasibility study for the mini-Holland scheme will give us the opportunity to find out how we can improve transport facilities for people living in Kingswood and Bransholme.”

“Both areas include large residential populations. By understanding how they travel, it will help us to deliver a more modern transport network that works for them.”

The funding has been awarded following the submission of a final Expression of Interest in August 2021. Hull is one of nineteen local authorities successful in securing the feasibility funding.

The results will then be considered and assessed by the Department for Transport who will identify a limited number proposals to be taken forward for funding and delivery.

Community, Council Headlines, Council News, Infrastructure, Transport

Real Time Information Available At Hull Bus Stops

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Bus passengers in Hull can now access real-time information at bus stops across the city, thanks to new QR codes being added to timetables.

Working in partnership with bus operators Stagecoach and East Yorkshire as part of the Hull Bus Alliance, Hull City Council is adding the QR codes to all bus stop timetable displays in the city.

By scanning the codes with a QR-enabled smartphone, passengers will be instantly directed to a web page providing real-time information on arrival times specific to the bus stop at which they are waiting.

The web page allows users to see information on Stagecoach and East Yorkshire services in one place, rather than having to use separate apps.

The QR codes are being rolled out at bus stops throughout the city from today, improving accessibility to public transport and supporting wider efforts to promote greener travel.

Councillor Mark Ieronimo, Portfolio Holder for Transport, said: “No one likes standing at a bus stop wondering when their bus will arrive.”

“We already have real-time digital displays at some bus stops in Hull, and these QR codes take this a step further by making this information available to passengers at every stop that displays a bus timetable.”

“These QR codes will make help make travelling by bus that little bit easier by helping those with smartphones access real-time information quicker.”

The QR codes can be found at the bottom of each timetable.

Matt Cranwell, managing director of Stagecoach East Midlands, said: “We know many of our customers are now using real-time tracking through their smartphones to find the actual arrival times of our buses, which helps to reduce waiting around at stops and makes planning journeys by bus so much easier.”

“The new QR codes will give people instant access to live bus arrivals across Hull, making the bus a better choice for short journeys in the city.”

Real-time bus information is available here