Huddersfield Rail Station Connections

Please note, this round of consultation has now closed. Find out more about the second stage consultation here.

All feedback is being used to help shape the future development of more detailed designs. The consultation outcome report can be viewed here.

Kirklees Council, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and their partners are proposing a series of travel and access improvements in a scheme called Huddersfield Rail Station Connections.

The project aims to make it easier for everyone to make their way between the railway station and the places where they live, learn, work or visit in Huddersfield town centre.

It is being funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund (TCF), a major new programme of investment to improve access to public transport, cycling and walking, whilst helping to reduce car journeys and tackle the climate emergency.

This public consultation was open for four weeks from Tuesday 12 October to Monday 8 November 2021.

Background

The Huddersfield Rail Station Connections scheme forms part of a wider ten-year vision for Huddersfield, to help create a thriving, modern-day, family-friendly town centre. The Huddersfield Blueprint has five key objectives:

• A vibrant culture, art, leisure and nightlife offer
• Thriving businesses
• A great place to live
• Improved access
• Enhanced public spaces

One of the six key areas earmarked for regeneration through the Huddersfield Blueprint is ‘The Station Gateway’. At the heart of the gateway is the Grade I listed Huddersfield Railway Station, the second busiest in West Yorkshire. In front of the station, St George’s Square is bordered by other historic buildings, including Estate Buildings and the George Hotel, the birthplace of rugby league.

Huddersfield Rail Station Connections will also help make the town centre ready for the Transpennine Route Upgrade. In the upgrade, Network Rail plans to invest in the railway that runs through Huddersfield to Leeds, Manchester and beyond, to improve connectivity and help support economic growth in the North of England.

For our scheme, we have assessed the key issues which include:

• Town centre streets (within the ring road) dominated by vehicles.
• A requirement for buses to continue to connect to the rail station.
• A need for cars, motorcycles, cycles and taxis to still reach the parking at the station.
• Junctions on the ring road that are not easy for people walking and cycling to cross.
• A lack of on-street cycle lanes.
• Low quality pavements in some areas.
• Not enough tree planting and other greenery.
• Bus stops and shelters that are not always located in the best positions.
• Passenger congestion inside the railway station at busy times.

By addressing these issues, the Huddersfield Rail Station Connections project will help achieve the objectives of the town centre blueprint. Although journey patterns have changed because of Covid-19, new housing and employment growth means we anticipate increased demand for travel. The changes we are proposing will help encourage more travel by walking, cycling, bus and rail.

Our plans will complement two other projects in the TCF programme:

• Better Connected Stations – construction is taking place to make it safer and easier for people to travel on foot between the bus and rail stations, while also improving cycle routes.
• Transforming Huddersfield Bus Station – we consulted recently on proposals for the building and its surroundings, including an improved interior, better accessibility and upgraded entrances.
  
  

Find out more and have your say

To help you take part in this consultation, we have broken down the proposals for Huddersfield Rail Station Connections into six distinct areas, listed below. To view a description of our proposals and an outline plan drawing, please either click on the name of the area/s you are interested in from the list or visit our Documents section at the top of this page.

• Area 1: Northumberland Street & John William Street
• Area 2: St John’s Road
• Area 3: Trinity Street:
  • 3a: On-street Improvements
  • 3b: Underpass Improvements
  • 3c: Cyle link to Greenhead Park
• Area 4: Brunswick Street Footpath
• Area 5: Huddersfield Rail Station Entrance Hall
• Area 6: Mobility Hubs

Below is an overview map showing how the different parts of the scheme are situated around Huddersfield Rail Station:

We have also included some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) which provide further information, and which you can view on this page.

We want to hear your views on our proposals. Please tell us what you think by completing our short survey using the link below. Make sure you click ‘submit’ on the last page before completing the survey to ensure your answers are saved.

Please note, this survey has now closed.

Responses to the consultation survey are being analysed and once complete, a report will be published on this page.

Online Q&A webinars

We will be hosting three free online Q&A webinars as part of this consultation which will provide the public with an opportunity for you to learn more about the proposals and to ask your own questions to the project team.

Please click the link below to register for free and share it with anybody you think would be interested in attending. A recording of one of the webinars will be uploaded to this page for those who are unable to attend to view the presentation.

* Please note, this event was rescheduled from Monday 25 October, 2.30-3.30pm. Apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Contact us

You can get in touch with us to ask further questions using the contact details listed below:

• Ask us a question using the Questions button at the bottom of this page
• Email us at: yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk
• Phone us on: Metroline on 0113 245 7676
• Or you can write to us at: Freepost CONSULTATION TEAM (WYCA)

If you or someone you know is unable to access the information we have provided 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 at 23:59 hours on Monday 8 November 2021.

Next steps

We will consider all feedback gathered through this public consultation as we develop the next stage of more detailed design of our proposals.

If you want to be kept informed on the progress of this scheme, please register here: www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/register