FAQs

The Corridor Improvement programme is a programme of low and medium cost highway interventions on strategic highway corridors on the West Yorkshire Key Route Network (WYKRN), which aims to improve connectivity and accessibility to support economic growth. In order to achieve this the programme aims to deliver an 8% reduction in journey times for all traffic, with a higher target of 12% reduction in journey times for buses.

The creation of a West Yorkshire Key Route Network (WYKRN) is designed to facilitate economic growth and job creation by delivering reliable journey times for all modes across the core road network in West Yorkshire, regardless of authority boundaries. Improved reliability of the WYKRN will contribute to goals of the Leeds City Region Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) by improving connectivity and better connecting people, jobs and goods. Such improvements will help to attract investment and facilitate housing growth across the City Region.

The Corridor Improvement Programme will be delivered in three phases. The total forecast cost of the programme is £130.3 million, £125 million of which will be funded from the Combined Authority’s West Yorkshire plus Transport

Fund.

The A58/A672 and A646/A6033 Corridor Improvement projects form part of the Phase 1 Corridor Improvement Programme. Both schemes are located in the Calderdale district and are being promoted by Calderdale Council.

The Corridor Improvement Programme received decision point 2 approval (case paper) from the Combined Authority on the 29th June 2017 for the programme as a whole.

Following this approval, Calderdale Council appointed a development partner to identify key issues along the network, develop a long list of proposals, short list of options, feasibility designs and an outline business case for the A58 and A646 schemes. The projects received decision point 3 (outline business case) approval in June 2018.

We are now engaging with the public to gain their views on the current proposed schemes. Calderdale Council will be appointing a development partner to progress the design options for the proposed schemes following the completion of the engagement process. All feedback from the engagement process will be gathered and passed to the successful development partner. The Full Business Case including technical and business works will be completed by summer 2019.

The A58 and A646 schemes form part of Phase 1 of the Corridor Improvement Programme (CIP). The CIP is a programme of low and medium cost highway interventions on strategic highway corridors on the Key Route Network (KRN). CIP aims to deliver benefits for all road users with an emphasis on reducing journey times, in order to improve connectivity and accessibility to economic growth sites, including those located in spatial policy areas.  In order to achieve this, the programme aims to deliver an 8% reduction in journey times for all traffic, with a higher target of 12% reduction in journey times for buses.

The forecast outputs, benefits and inclusive growth implications for the project are:

• Improved journey time reliability on the A58/A672, particularly for public transport users and reduced variability between peak and off peak time periods.
• Reduced congestion along the A58/A672 by reducing journey times for general traffic along the corridor by 8% or more in the AM and PM peak by opening year, in order to improve productivity and attract new investment, in particular to attract new businesses to occupy employment land allocated in the emerging Local Plan.
• Future housing growth supported by reducing transport constraints to development on the corridor– enabling residential units located on preferred sites accessed via the corridor in the emerging Calderdale Local Plan to be realised by 2032.
• Enhanced provision for active modes in order to increase the sustainability of new development – closing gaps in network connectivity on the walking and cycling networks to limit net growth in car trips by 2026, once trips generated by new development are accommodated.
• Improved air quality – ensure the annual mean nitrogen dioxide levels observed in the AQMA declared in Sowerby Bridge town centre are improved by the end of the opening year.
• Accidents reduced by 10% throughout the corridor by 2022, with a particular focus on collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists.

The forecast outputs, benefits and inclusive growth implications for the project are:

• Improved journey time reliability, particularly for public transport users by reducing journey time variability between peak and off‐peak time periods by 12% or more by opening year.
• Improve accessibility to employment sites by reducing journey times for general traffic along the corridor by 8% or more in the AM and PM peak by opening year.
• Enable future housing growth by 2032 at sites proposed along the corridor in the Calderdale Local Plan to be realised.
• Enhanced provision for active modes and closed gaps in connectivity on the walking and cycling networks by opening year, provides an environment which promotes and encourages active mode use.
• Improve air quality by making an improvement to levels of nitrogen dioxide/particulates and achieve the European target values in the two AQMAs declared in Luddenden Foot and Hebden Bridge by opening year.
• Reduce accidents by 10% throughout the corridor by 2022, with a particular focus on collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists.
• Improving efficiency on the Key Route Network by removing parking at key pinchpoints.

This scheme proposes a package of focused transport interventions on the

A58/A672 corridor in Calderdale to deliver highway improvements, along with improving facilities for active travel modes (cycling and walking). This includes a package of measures to improve highway efficiency for the benefit of all road users along this part of the West Yorkshire Key Route Network (WYKRN), comprising the A58/A672 between Halifax and the M62 Junction 22 via Sowerby Bridge, Ripponden and Rishworth. Currently there are issues with the journey time variability between peak and off peak time periods particularly for public transport, poor air quality due to congestion and lack of appetite for growth due to these issues on the route.

The scheme will deliver a multi modal package of improvements to address identified pinch points, improve resilience to incidents and weather events and encourage modal shift along the A646/A6033 corridor. Current issues which will be addressed are inefficient junctions and required changes in traffic management, lack of bus facilities, lack of pedestrian crossing points, lack of cycle facilities and poor links to existing walking and cycling routes. 

The Corridor Improvement Programme has been included in the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund programme.  Capital funding is approved and secured to develop the proposals up to the completion of the Full Business Case.  While funding for the project has been identified, further development and implementation of the scheme will be subject to the assurance processes of the Combined Authority and the viability of the business case. 

Construction is due to commence in late 2019 and complete by March 2021. The work will be completed in phases of 4-6 weeks in each of the proposed locations.

Funding has been identified within the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund programme. Capital funding is approved and secured to develop the schemes up to the completion of Full Business Case.  While funding for the project has been identified, further development and implementation of the scheme will be subject to the assurance processes of the Combined Authority and the viability of the business case.  The project is subject to approval at a number of stages prior to the start of construction to ensure the project continues to show value for money. Funding will only be released should the project receive approval at these decision points. 

The A58 scheme is currently forecast to cost £6.02m.

The A646 scheme is currently forecast to cost £5.09m.

The costings are subject to further detailed design work and appointment of a contractor to complete the construction works.

The scheme proposals aim to formalise local parking along the corridors in Mytholmroyd, Luddenden Foot, Sowerby Bridge, Ripponden and Rishworth with some restrictions during peak times in King Cross. Proposals in Hebden Bridge and Sowerby Bridge compliment the Parking Strategy’s prepared for the towns and include some reallocation of parking. 

The proposals will not have a direct impact in terms of the number of buses and routing of any of the local bus services along the corridors. Journey time improvements may be noticed as a result of the benefits from the proposals along the corridor. Improvements to bus stop information is included as part of the proposals in the town and village centres. 

The project team delivering the A58 and A646 projects are working with the A629 projects team to ensure the schemes complement each other where possible and cause the least amount of disruption to residents and commuters along the A58 and A646.

For further details on the A629 works please visit our Next Chapter website:

www.calderdalenextchapter.co.uk/

Calderdale Council are working with the Environment Agency to ensure the schemes complement each other where possible and cause the least amount of disruption to residents and commuters along the A58 and A646.

For further details on the Environment Agency works please visit the EA website or contact them using the details below:

Website: www.eyeoncalderdale.com/mytholmroyd-flood-alleviation-scheme

Email: MytholmroydFAS@environment-agency.gov.uk

No the proposals for the A646 CIP do not include Mytholmroyd Station Car Parking. The Combined Authority are leading on the Station Car Parking. For further information, please contact the CA using the details below:

Website: www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/transport/transport-projects/rail-park-ride/

Email: TransportProjects@westyorks-ca.gov.uk

No the proposals for the A646 CIP do not include Hebden Bridge Station Car Parking. The Combined Authority are leading on the Station Car Parking. For further information, please contact the CA using the details below:

Website: www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/transport/transport-projects/rail-park-ride/

Email: TransportProjects@westyorks-ca.gov.uk

Yes the most recent local plan assumptions have been taken in to consideration. For more information on the Local plan, please use the links below:

All the Local Plan information can be found at www.calderdale.gov.uk/localplan

Emails can be sent through spatial.planning@calderdale.gov.uk

No, an environmental impact assessment will be determined during the next stage of development as part of the statutory planning processes. 

No, the need for a transport impact assessment will be determined during the next stage of development as part of the statutory planning processes. 

The A58 scheme aims to improve air quality by ensuring the annual mean nitrogen dioxide levels observed in the AQMA declared in Sowerby Bridge town centre are

improved by the end of the opening year.

The A646 scheme aims to improve air quality by making an improvement to levels of nitrogen dioxide/particulates and achieve the European target values in the two

AQMAs declared in Luddenden Foot and Hebden Bridge by opening

year.

The requirement for future engagement activities will be confirmed during the next stage of development.