New pressure to build bypass for Flockton

part of a multibillion-pound fund for road improvements across England.

Monies from vehicle tax would be put into the pot with cash given to local authorities to improve or replace the most important A-roads under their management.

In comments that seemed to relate directly to the Flockton scenario Mr Grayling said: “Typically you will have a small town on a major A-road where you have got an old centre, narrow streets, lorries going through them.

“You get pollution, you get congestion and there is a clamour for a bypass. We haven’t been building enough relief for those roads.”

Conservative councillor Martyn Bolt (Mirfield), who attended the meeting with Mr Grayling, said: “Having heard and seen the issue of Flockton he said it seemed exactly the project the recently announced funding for bypasses was created for.”

He urged Labour colleagues in Kirklees to follow the example of City of York Council, who applied for and secured funds to improve the city’s existing northern bypass.

“Kirklees Council seems to lack a proactive approach to strategic thinking. At the time the minister visited I asked at several levels, including the Chief Executive’s office, for a map showing all the highways schemes being considered.

“I was told there wasn’t one. So there is no strategic overview of planning to see how schemes interface.”

Kirklees Council unveiled its ambitious roads plan last December. The proposals form part of a wider project covering West Yorkshire over 15 years.