A638 Dewsbury - Cleckheaton Sustainable Travel Corridor
Please note that this consultation has now closed. The outcome report can be viewed here.
Feedback was used to develop the proposals further and these were consulted on in early 2022. For more information about the second stage consultation, and to view the outcome report, see here.
To view all updates on this project please visit the Dewsbury Blueprint website.
The information and proposals from the initial consultation, which took place between 13 July to 17 August 2021, can be found below:
Helping you travel between Dewsbury and Cleckheaton
Kirklees Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority are proposing a series of travel improvements along the A638 between Dewsbury and Cleckheaton, as well as improvements to the Heckmondwike Bus Hub, and the Spen Valley Greenway and Spen Ringway.
The scheme is funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund (TCF), a major new programme of transport infrastructure investment. The programme aims to help create a positive change in the way we travel across the region, providing an accessible, attractive, and cleaner alternative to car journeys.
We want to hear your views on our proposals. Please tell us what you think by using the information on this page, to help you complete our short surveys on the links below.
Background
This northern part of the A638 is a six-mile long ‘corridor’ that runs through the heart of West Yorkshire, connecting the centres of Dewsbury, Heckmondwike and Cleckheaton.
The A638 is a busy road – the way it has been built means it cannot cope with today’s demand, which results in traffic congestion at peak periods. This means buses can get delayed, and it is not as easy to walk or cycle along as it could be.
We have conducted assessments along the route to find key problems and opportunities. This has resulted in a range of proposals for new bus priority measures, and walking and cycling improvements, between Dewsbury and Cleckheaton.
Although journey patterns have changed because of COVID-19, new housing and employment planned in the future means we anticipate congestion to get worse due to higher travel demands. These improvements to the A638 offer an opportunity to improve walking, cycling and bus journeys for everyone.
Our Proposals
The A638 travel proposals extend from the outskirts of Dewsbury town centre, through Heckmondwike, to Chain Bar roundabout at Cleckheaton.
This stretch of the A638 would be improved to allow for more buses – and help buses keep to their timetables – with new bus priority measures. New footways and crossings would make it safer and easier to walk and to catch the bus.
Our scheme also aims to make cycling easier and safer, by putting in new on-street cycling upgrades, plus better links to the Spen Valley Greenway and Spen Ringway.
We want to:
- encourage healthier and more environmentally friendly methods of transport, to reduce reliance on cars, and so reduce congestion and improve air quality
- improve bus journey reliability and journey times
- provide more opportunities for walking and cycling
- improve accessibility and safety along the route
- help achieve Kirklees Council’s commitment to net-zero carbon by 2038
Heckmondwike Bus Station
We are exploring the opportunity to improve the travel experience in Heckmondwike, by upgrading the Bus Hub to a Bus Station. Heckmondwike Town Centre sits at the heart of the A638 corridor, between Dewsbury and Cleckheaton, and is currently served by a four-stand bus hub.
The proposals include a new station building, a sheltered outdoor waiting area (under canopy) and improved landscaping on the site. Crucially, there is opportunity to increase capacity by creating two extra bus stands and a layover bay, and improving the sheltered cycle parking.
The scheme aims to make catching the bus a realistic option, and help more people get to where they need to be by using this key local bus hub. This would help reduce emissions and air pollution, as more people can choose to leave their car at home.
Spen Valley Greenway and Spen Ringway
We would like to encourage more people to use the Spen Valley Greenway and Spen Ringway by providing safe links to the cycle tracks from the A638, improving the surfaces, and putting in more lighting on the Greenway.
This way, we hope more of us can enjoy using bikes or walking here, whether it’s for commuting, getting to school or college, or simply for leisure.
(Image supplied by Sustrans)
Find out more and have your say
To see our proposals in more detail, please look through our consultation materials, including draft plans and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
We want to hear your views on our proposals. Please tell us what you think by completing our four short surveys using the links below.
You can choose to complete as many of the surveys as you like, based on the areas you are interested in. You do not need to complete all four surveys at the same time - you can come back later to complete others. Please make sure you click ‘submit’ on the last page before completing any survey to ensure your answers are saved.
Each survey should take you about ten minutes to complete.
Survey for proposals between Chain Bar roundabout and Heckmondwike - closed
- Zone 1: North of M62 Chain Bar to Whitcliffe Road
- Zone 2: Whitcliffe Road to Cleckheaton Bus Station
- Zone 3: Cleckheaton Bus Station to A62 Leeds Road junction
Survey for proposals between Heckmondwike and Dewsbury - closed
- Zone 4: A62 Leeds Road junction to Staincliffe Hall Road junction
- Zone 5: Staincliffe Hall Road junction to Track Road
- Zone 6: Track Road to Dewsbury Ring Road
Survey for the Heckmondwike Bus Station proposals - closed
Survey for the Spen Valley Greenway and Spen Ringway proposals - closed
Contact us:
- Ask us a question using the Questions button on this page
- Via email: yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk
- Via phone: Metroline on 0113 245 7676
- Via post: Freepost CONSULTATION TEAM (WYCA)
If you or someone you know is unable to access information online, please get in touch with us using the contact details above. We can arrange a different way to provide information – such as sending more information in the post – so that you or they can get involved.
This engagement closed on Tuesday 17 August 2021.
Next steps
We will use your feedback gathered through this public consultation to develop the next stage in the design of our proposals.
If you want to be kept informed, please register here: www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/register