Cycle Kirklees Newsletter 51
In this issue – our response to the latest consultation on Walking & Cycling in Kirklees – A629 Wakefield Road – and a report on a follow up meeting on Dewsbury Town plans.
Wakefield Road A629 cycling plans – consultation closes 30th November
KCC supports the A629 Wakefield Road Walking & Cycling proposals (see link below) as a serious attempt to provide improved infrastructure for active travel. We strongly favour the one-way and two-way options, designed as part of the reallocation of road space, to create safer cycle paths. Our submission raised some issues about connectivity at both the Shorehead and eastern ends of the route.
The plan has more potential for uplift of cycling activity than any of the other strategic routes into the town. It links many residential neighbourhoods in Kirklees. It serves areas where additional housing likely to add to traffic flows in future years is planned – but there has been a lot of inflammatory anti-cyclist comment in the Examiner .
Please add your voice to the consultation by 23.59 on 30th November if you have not done so already.
Consultation Link WYCA Your Voice
Follow up on Dewsbury Town Centre plans
Committee members, Chris Knight and Chas Ball met with Kirklees Council officers to discuss our submission on plans for cycling improvements in Dewsbury Town Centre. On both our major concerns we felt we made progress, particularly on our opposition to a dedicated lane on the Ring Road.
On Longcauseway and links to the Ossett Greenway, officers agreed to have another look at improving east-west connectivity. We stressed the need to upgrade the route alongside the river from the greenway to the Sports Centre and to the start of the Ossett Greenway – and into the town centre (see photo of underpass, with Chris Knight and Bruce Bird, Dewsbury Town Board). Full details of our comments are on on the @cyclekirklees website.
Upgrading Footpaths on the Quiet Routes through north Huddersfield
Bill Hunter writes: I strongly disagree with the Huddersfield Transport Group’s (see footnote) comments in their submission to Kirklees Council about A629 Halifax Road cycling and walking plans regarding the Highfield paths and the path from Reap Hirst Road to Norwood Road. These paths are close to the town centre and Birkby, and ideally suited to short cycle trips where the walking option may be perceived as too long.
The Highfield paths, with some additional links we proposed, are easily capable of widening to 3m (see photo). Any necessary tree felling or pruning should not be significant. There are some gradients but these are short and not too steep. These paths should be lit, as should all the off road paths.
The existing byway/bridleway track from Yew Tree Lane to Reap Hirst Road and Norwood Road, should be surfaced, named the Grimescar Greenway, and promoted as a direct route to Birkby.
Birkby is a destination – its shops and services, schools and businesses are significant trip generators. This route is wider than 3m for much of its length, and the remainder can easily be widened without a major impact on trees. There are significant opportunities for additional tree planting along this route.
**Huddersfield Transport Group is a joint Working Group of Huddersfield Unlimited & Huddersfield Civic Society. its submission was very supportive on cycling improvements in the A629 Halifax Road area, part from this section.
E-Cargo Bike Project Short-listed
Next issue we will report on the progress of the EPIKs e-bike pilot project. The plan is to establish a low emission delivery service for the Holme Valley in spring, supported by Cargodale in the Calder Valley.
CargoHolme has made another step forward recently, having been short listed for an award by The Rees Jeffreys Road Fund to develop a toolkit for market towns. Our photo shows project coordinator, Kim Warren at Your Nuts.