Dewsbury-Batley-Chidswell Travel Corridor
Transforming travel between Dewsbury, Batley and Chidswell (Round 3)
You can also view a 'You said, we listened' report here, to read what changes have been made since the consultation.
To view all updates on this project please visit the Dewsbury Blueprint website.
Based on your feedback and design reviews, Kirklees Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, have made some further changes to the proposals in the Bradford Road area, with the aim of making walking and cycling a safer and more attractive option.
They include:
A new two-way segregated cycle lane
New signal crossings for people walking and cycling
Four side roads to have new one-way sections to improve safety at junctions.
Please view the overview map here to see the plans in more detail.
Now we would like to hear your views on the updated proposals. Please take a look at the plans in more detail below and let us know what you think.
Please be aware we are not consulting on the Soothill Lane or Grange Road areas of the scheme. These proposals have not changed since the previous round of consultation in October 2022.
This consultation will run from Tuesday 5 September until Tuesday 3 October 2023.
Complete our survey by 11.59pm on Tuesday 3 October
Join us at an event to speak to the project team
Your feedback will help to shape the final project plans.
Have your say |
Log on to a webinar
We'll be hosting free online Zoom webinars to give you an opportunity to learn more about the plans and ask the project team any questions. Sign up through the links below:
Tuesday 12 September, 1pm-2pm: View the recording here
Thursday 14 September, 6.30pm-7.30pm: Cancelled due to lack of demand. Please view the recording above, join a drop-in event, or email us at yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk if you would like to speak to the project team.
Join a drop-in event
You'll be able to take a closer look at the plans and share your feedback with the project team. Paper surveys will be available to take home and submit via our Freepost address.
Thursday 21 September, 4.30pm-7.30pm: Warwick Road Primary School, Warwick Road, Batley, WF17 6BS
Thursday 28 September, 2pm-7pm: The Trinity Centre, 4A Upper Road, Batley, WF17 7LT
Why are we doing this?
Kirklees Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority are working together to deliver improvements which will benefit residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
The aims of this scheme are to:
Create a safer, more accessible, and attractive environment for people to walk, cycle and take public transport
Improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions by empowering people to travel more sustainably and reduce reliance on cars
Upgrade bus stops along the route to provide better live passenger information and waiting facilities
Improve access between new homes, jobs, and local services
The A652 Bradford Road is a busy route, experiencing high traffic volumes and delays, particularly during peak periods. This means buses along the route can get delayed, and it is not as easy to walk or cycle as it could be.
Grange Road and Soothill Lane provide key east-west links between Batley and Chidswell but offer limited opportunities for travelling on foot or by bike, due to high traffic volumes and a lack of facilities.
There are also several new housing developments and employment sites planned or under construction in the area, which means extra pressure on an already congested route.
What are we proposing?
These improvements to the Dewsbury-Batley-Chidswell area offer an opportunity to improve walking, cycling and bus journeys for everyone. Active travel can help reduce congestion, improve connectivity, and benefit the community’s physical and mental health.
We are asking for your views in the following area:
A652 Bradford Road (Dewsbury Ring Road to Rouse Mill Lane)
Proposals include:
A two-way segregated cycle lane on Bradford Road between Dewsbury Ring Road and Alexandra Road with some sections of shared use between pedestrians and cyclists
Retention of existing on-street parking for residents on Bradford Road between Rink Street and Grafton Street
A westbound cycle path on Alexandra Road between Grange Road and Bradford Road
Four side roads to have one-way sections to improve pedestrian and cycle safety
New signal-controlled pedestrian crossings
Upgraded traffic signals, with bus priority, and real time information at bus stops
Some changes to parking and loading restrictions, including the creation of new loading bays in side roads
What has happened since the previous consultations?
Bradford Road
Most of the proposals put forward in the initial consultation in 2021 received support and some have already been progressed.
There was support for new cycle parking at Batley Rail Station and this has now been installed by Northern Rail. We also consulted on an improved connection for people walking between Tesco Extra and Commercial Street. Major improvements in Batley town centre have also been consulted on as part of the Batley Blueprint, a scheme that will complement the aims and objectives of this project. Visit the Batley Blueprint website for more information.
During the second consultation in 2022 we asked for views on:
Shared-use paths for people walking or cycling, including the transformation of the unused railway line into a new accessible off-road ‘Greenway’ between Savile Street and Mill Lane with benches, lighting, and CCTV
One-way segregated cycle lanes
Upgraded junctions and crossings with bus priority technology.
These proposals were supported and have been revised following the design review. The updated proposals are being consulted on:
Segregated cycle lanes and shared-use footways along Bradford Road between Dewsbury Ring Road and Town Street have been amended from one-way facilities on both sides of the road to a two-way cycle lane on the west side of Bradford Road. This will reduce the impact of construction works.
The proposed off-road ‘Greenway’ for people walking and cycling between Savile Street and Mill Lane will no longer be progressed due to difficulties securing the land necessary and concerns about the safety and security of future users. An alternative route along Bradford Road between Town Street and Alexandra Road and along Alexandra Road to Rouse Mill Lane has been developed, taking into account the need to retain sufficient on-street parking for residents and businesses.
Soothill Lane
The proposals that were supported during the 2022 consultation and are not part of this consultation include:
- Widen the Soothill Lane railway bridge to create a footway on the south side, and provide a pedestrian crossing to improve access to the station
Provide a pedestrian crossing by Lydgate Road
Provide real time information at bus stops, new landscaping and benches.
Other proposals on Soothill Lane received mixed feedback, including concerns from residents and businesses about the loss of on-street parking. Following further consideration these proposals are no longer part of the scheme and no further consultation is planned.
Grange Road and Challenge Way
Following the second consultation we carried out further development work to address issues raised and identify the priority measures to take forward.
Proposals that were supported and are not part of this consultation include:
Segregated cycle lanes and shared-use paths along Grange Road
New off-road ‘Greenway’ for walking and cycling between Grange Road and Leeds Road
The existing traffic-calming measures on Grange Road to be improved and the road resurfaced.
No further consultation is planned to take place.
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 in 2022 here.
Contact us and accessibility
If you would like to contact us or request information in an alternative format you can:
Phone MetroLine on 0113 245 7676
Write to Freepost CONSULTATION TEAM WYCA
Next steps
Please click on the survey below to have your say on the proposals.
We will consider all feedback and the results of this consultation will be used to shape and inform the scheme prior to its delivery. If you’d like to know the outcome of the consultation please register to Your Voice.
This consultation will close on Tuesday 3 October 2023 at 11.59pm.
To be kept updated on this scheme as it progresses beyond the consultation and outcome report, visit Kirklees Council’s website.
Improvements in Dewsbury Town Centre
These proposals are part of a wider package to transform the way people travel in and around the town, including better walking and cycling access between the station and the town centre. In 2021 and 2022 a consultation was carried out on the proposals for Dewsbury Town Centre Walking and Cycling Improvements.
Transforming Cities Fund
The scheme is delivered through the Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme, which is aimed at making it easier for people to walk, cycle and use public transport. You can find out more in our TCF FAQs.
This funding has been granted specifically for this purpose and cannot be reallocated.
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Q&A
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