FAQs

Bradford Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, is looking to make improvements to three road junctions, in order to reduce congestion for the benefit of all road users. Collectively, the schemes focus on bringing improvements to the A6177 Outer Ring Road to the west of Bradford.

Bradford Council is responsible for delivering the scheme.

Bradford Council is working in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The Combined Authority works with local councils and businesses to ensure that everyone in our region benefits from a strong, successful economy and a modern, accessible transport network.

This scheme is located on three main junctions along the A6177 Outer Ring Road:

• Great Horton Road / Horton Grange Road
• Thornton Road / Cemetery Road
• Toller Lane / Whetley Hill

Phase 1 engagement took place for all three junctions from 18 February and 29 March 2019 (6 weeks). Following this, the feedback was processed and used to inform the developing proposals for the approval of the Outline Business Case (OBC) by Investment Committee on 12 April 2019 for the Great Horton Road (GHR) / Horton Grange Road (HGR) junction.

A decision was taken to progress with the GHR / HGR junction, however, due to the significant changes made to this junction since Phase 1 engagement, it was deemed important to go out to engagement again to enable the public to comment on the further changes proposed.

Phase 2A: Great Horton Rd / Horton Grange Rd engagement was carried out between 8 July and 5 August 2019 (4 weeks). 

Due to the proposed changes, a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) was published on 6 August until 25 September 2020 to provide local residents and businesses an opportunity to raise any objections with Bradford Council.

Phase 3A: Great Horton Rd / Horton Grange Rd engagement will take place from 12 October – 8 November 2020 to provide the public a final chance to have their say on the proposals.

The business case for the GHR / HGR junction will be submitted early December 2020.

Further transport modelling work was recommended for the Thornton Road / Cemetery Road and Toller Lane / Whetley Hill junctions, hence a further public engagement is likely to take place on these two junctions in November 2020 (Phase 2B).

The main objectives of this scheme are to:

• Improve journey time and reliability on the western section of the A6177 Outer Ring Road
• Reduce traffic congestion
• Support with the delivery of new homes, extension of employment space and creation of new jobs in the area
• Improve road safety
• Improve air quality
• Encourage use of more sustainable modes of transport such as buses, cycling or walking

These schemes form part of a programme of low and medium cost highway interventions on strategic highway corridors on the Key Route Network (KRN).

The West Bradford Junctions Improvement Scheme 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 priority 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.

There have been some delays to this scheme, however, development of the scheme has continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

This scheme is funded via the Transport Fund and needs to be spent by March 2021.

Unfortunately, due to social distancing guidelines still being in force, we are unable to hold drop in events or do other face to face engagement. Therefore this engagement will be mainly be digital.

We are taking steps to make sure people in the local community know about the engagement and can have their say by putting up posters, posting leaflets door-to-door and by providing information to the local ward councillors.

Hard copies, translated and large print versions of the plans and survey will be made available upon request.

The scheme is currently under development. Phase 2A engagement was carried out in July 2019 and comments received at that time were considered during the detailed design process. The final business case is due to be submitted in December 2020.

Due to the size and complexity of the proposed works the improvements may be introduced in phases, with some construction work starting as early as 2021. It is expected that all roadworks will be completed by 2022.

This project has received funding through the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, and the Leeds City Region Growth Deal - a £1 billion package of Government investment through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), delivered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.

The Leeds City Region covers the local authority areas of Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York.

This West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund will also be used to introduce a number of other transport improvements in Bradford district over the next few years.

The total cost of the schemes is estimated in the region of:

• Thornton Road/Cemetery Road junction and Toller Lane/Whetley Hill Junction - £10 million*
• Great Horton Road / Horton Grange Road Junction - £4 million*

(*Subject to approval by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

The decision documents are published on the Combined Authority’s websites.

• www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/projects/west-yorkshire-plus-transport-fund/corridor-improvement-programme-phase-1-bradford-great-horton-road/
• www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/projects/west-yorkshire-plus-transport-fund/corridor-improvement-programme-phase-1/bradford-a6177-orr-thornton-road/

The schemes are currently being progressed through the Combined Authority’s assurance process, with a view to progressing to Full Business Case.

Bradford is preparing an air quality plan which will protect and enhance the health of everyone who lives, works or spends time in the district. Those details can be found on the following website: www.bradford.gov.uk/breathe-better-bradford/breathe-better-bradford.

A full air quality assessment including monitoring, analysis and reporting was carried out along the route of the proposed highway improvements. The expected overall reduction in exposure to pollutants as a result of the reductions in congestion in connection with the Scheme is in line with the aims of the Bradford Low Emission Strategy (2013) and the West Yorkshire Low Emission Strategy (2016) to reduce transport emission improving air quality and health.

The plan can be viewed or downloaded via www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/GHR.

Members of the public are encouraged to provide any comments via any of the following:

• Email: yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk
• Post: FREEPOST Consultation Team (WYCA) (no stamp required)
• Telephone: 0113 245 7676 (MetroLine)

We are encouraging people to register on www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk to be kept involved and informed about the launch of the consultation for the Thornton Road/Cemetery Road and Toller Lane/Whetley Hill Junctions in late 2020.

Public engagement on the final proposals contained in the scheme will take place from 12 October until 8 November 2020 (4 weeks).

The plan will be distributed via door-to-door to local residents and businesses in the area.

Hard copies of the engagement materials are available and can be requested using the MetroLine telephone number 0113 245 7676.

You can register to follow the project and have your say in future engagements at www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/GHR.

We will publish a report on the engagement response on this website.

You can also contact your local ward councillor.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has been commissioned to analyse responses and produce the final outcome report.