FAQs

The Dewsbury-Batley-Chidswell corridor is a key route through north Kirklees with high volumes of traffic. It covers a large area, extending northwards from Dewsbury Ring Road, via the A652 Bradford Road, through to Batley town centre. It also includes links eastwards to the A653 Leeds Road, via Soothill Lane and Grange Road. A map of the route is shown here.  

There were several options considered for the scheme which were evaluated against the scheme’s objectives, expected costs and benefits. These proposals meet the original objectives of the scheme, are more likely to offer the best value for money and take account of wider social and environmental constraints, as well as feedback received in two previous rounds of consultation.

The key objectives of the scheme are to:  

The scheme is funded by the Transforming Cities Fund. This is provided by the Department for Transport following a successful bidding process. The programme aims to provide improved infrastructure for active and sustainable travel, such as walking, cycling and public transport.

The scheme is not funded by council tax and will not impact other Kirklees Council funding streams.  

You can find out more about the original proposals and the feedback we received during the first consultation in 2021 here and the second consultation here. 

The scheme has close relationships with the following schemes:  

The scheme aims to improve bus reliability along the corridor. To reduce delays and improve journey times, we are looking to introduce bus priority at key junctions through new technology on the approaches and at traffic lights.     

We are also proposing to upgrade some bus stops to improve the experience for people waiting for buses. This includes real time information (RTI) updates to inform passengers when the next bus is arriving.  

A key objective of the scheme is to create an improved and safer environment for people cycling. We are looking to provide dedicated cycle facilities on the A652 Bradford Road. Proposals for an off-road ‘Greenway’ connecting Grange Road and Leeds Road were supported in a previous consultation and will be going ahead.   

This will provide a seamless connection from A653 Leeds Road into Dewsbury and Batley town centres, as well as linking with Batley Bus and Rail Stations. This will make it safer, easier, and more enjoyable for people cycling to travel along these busy routes. It is anticipated that the scheme will result in an increased number of people cycling.   

As we have in previous consultations, we will engage with local cycle groups.   

It is intended that the improvements will make it more pleasant and safer to walk in the area and encourage more people to travel on foot.  

This scheme aims to better safety and access for people walking by:   

The proposed cycle facilities will be designed in line with the latest design recommendations from the Department for Transport - LTN1/20 - which will ensure safe access to properties as well as to parking is provided.   

To deliver the proposed cycle lanes, there may be some parking and loading changes to business accesses, but early engagement with any affected parties will be undertaken.  

Some of the design options within the scheme would impact on on-street parking along certain stretches of Bradford Road. Initial locations and timings for parking restrictions are clearly shown on the consultation drawings and have been informed through previous feedback and surveys.  

Residents, businesses, and any other stakeholders will be consulted further on the detail before any changes can be made.  

Access for people walking to all properties and shops will be maintained. Some of the proposed parking restrictions may mean that alternative loading areas would have to be used, or that deliveries would be restricted to certain times of the day, such as outside of peak periods.   

In previous consultations a proposal to create new loading bays in side roads off Bradford Road was supported, and this has been included in these latest plans. These could be used during the morning and evening peak hours to provide loading for small to medium sized delivery vehicles.

The designs have been developed to try to avoid any tree loss. At the junction of Rouse Mill Land and Back Station Road three trees may need to be cut down to provide a pedestrian crossing point. If that is necessary it is proposed that four new trees would be planted in the vicinity to replace the trees lost. In the event that trees must be removed, we will comply with policies outlined in the Kirklees Local Plan, including the recently adopted Open Space Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), which refers to biodiversity net gain.

The phasing of roadworks still needs to be planned. Nearer the time of construction, residents and businesses will be provided with more information about what will happen and where.   

A Construction Management Plan will be developed to minimise the impacts of construction activities on residents, businesses, and visitors.  

Due to the size and complexity of the proposed construction works, the improvements may be introduced in phases.   

This current round of consultation seeks public and stakeholders’ views on the proposed changes to Bradford Road. The outcome of the consultation will be reported and considered as part of the consideration of the Outline Business Case. The scheme is currently under development and design review, with a preferred scheme to be identified by Outline Business Case stage in autumn 2023. There are however several stages of business case approval to achieve, prior to construction.

Providing an accessible, attractive, and cleaner alternative to car journeys is at the heart of Leeds City Region’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) - a major new programme of transport infrastructure investment secured as part of the West Yorkshire devolution deal.  

The £457 million programme, which is being delivered by the Combined Authority in partnership with local authorities, is being paid for with money from the Department for Transport (DfT) and local match funding.   

In partnership with local authorities, the Combined Authority will deliver transformational infrastructure, which will dramatically improve people’s access to walking, cycling and public transport.  

It is estimated schemes will improve journeys by bus, rail, bike and on foot for up to 1.5 million people, take up to 12 million car trips per year off our roads and reduce CO2 emissions from car travel by up to 15,000 tonnes by 2036.    

Communities across Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield, and York are set to benefit from the schemes, which include new or improved bus and rail stations, cycling and walking infrastructure, and new Park and Rides.  

It is estimated the programme will:  

The £457 million programme, which is being delivered by the Combined Authority in partnership with local authorities, is being paid for with money from the Department for Transport (DfT) and local match funding.   

A range of options are being developed as part of each business case to ensure we deliver the best schemes, while also considering the ongoing impact of inflation, including the rising cost of building materials.  

Building on the significant progress already made, the Combined Authority is working in partnership to transform our town and city centres for walking and cycling, improve bus reliability and journey times, and make it easier to travel by train.    

The programme will connect people to jobs, training, and education through accessible, affordable and cleaner transport, boosting productivity and helping create healthier and happier communities for the future.    

It will also help us tackle the climate emergency on our way to becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038.          

We need to reduce car trips by 21% and increase cycling trips by 2,000%, walking trips by 78%, bus strips by 39% and rail trips by 53% if we are to achieve our ambitious net zero targets in this time frame.   

Communities across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield, North Yorkshire and York are set to benefit from the schemes, which include new or improved bus and rail stations, cycling and walking infrastructure, and new Park and Rides.  

The programme is focused on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities.  This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality.     

There are 22 packages of schemes, comprising between 30 and 35 individual projects, within the overall programme.  

Schemes are at different stages, right through from the development of business cases and designs, to gearing up for public consultation, and construction. 

Find out more information at westyorks-ca.gov.uk/TCF.

The impact of COVID-19 on the region and its economy means it is more important than ever to assess the changes to the landscapes of our towns and cities and the impact on current and future planned schemes, particularly, but not exclusively, those relating to transport.   

Although it is generally expected that people’s behaviour will return to the pre-pandemic position in the medium and long-term, the impact on travel into and around towns and cities will be assessed as part of every scheme’s appraisal and any assumptions made to address issues identified prior to the pandemic will be re-tested.  

It will build on the significant investment already made through the Combined Authority’s other programmes, such as the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, Connecting Leeds and CityConnect.  

Many of the schemes provide enhancements or extensions to the projects being delivered through these programmes, helping to spread the benefits across a wider geography.    

The programme is focused on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities. This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality.    

The programme is focused on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities. This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality.  

As part of the bidding process, the Combined Authority was asked to develop a series of schemes, which could be delivered under three different cost scenarios.  Each scheme needed to meet the Combined Authority’s priorities, as well as objectives set out by the DfT, such as reducing carbon emissions, and increasing capacity for commuters with better access to employment centres, especially from disadvantaged communities.  

Schemes put forward by local authorities were scored against the objectives before being reviewed as a programme. Once agreement had been reached between local authority and Combined Authority officers, the programme was signed off by each of the leaders, as well as members of the Combined Authority’s Transport Committee.