Fresh proposals to make town more ‘vibrant place’
NEW PLAN TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLE ACCESS
SIX weeks after it scrapped a £4.9m relief road planned to cut congestion in Holmfirth, Kirklees Council is putting a revised plan to locals for their views.
But the new proposals will require sign-off from finance chiefs at West Yorkshire Combined Authority ( WYCA), which it is hoped will fund the project.
Kirklees dropped its initial plan following negative reactions from the public.
Speaking in July, senior councillor and deputy leader of Kirklees Council, Clr Peter McBride (Lab, Dalton) said the public was “overwhelmingly against” the scheme.
He added: “The public don’t want it and we accept that.”
However, the Labour-run council was accused by a local Tory of using the prospect of a mini bypass as “a political football” in the runup to the local elections in May.
Clr Nigel Patrick (Con, Holme Valley South) said he and other residents had “been legged up” and that the council had never had any intention of delivering the project on the scale previously outlined.
The initial version of the scheme, announced in March, involved the demolition of Holmfirth’s Market Hall and the creation of a new bridge across the River Holme, linking Hollowgate with the A6024.
The re-design, which Clr McBride described as “more modest”, aims to deliver improvements to traffic flows, encourage people to walk and cycle more and enhance the public areas in the town centre.
They include a footpath/cycle link over the River Holme, reconfiguring traffic signals on the A6024, upgrading the pedestrian facilities on Victoria Street and Town Gate and providing a dedicated electric vehicle charging point car park.
Commenting on the new plans, Clr McBride said he hoped they would find support from local people “so we can take the scheme forward.”
He added: “These new proposals will re-purpose the town centre, making it a vibrant place to be and will enhance the areas for festivals.
“It will provide much-needed improvements for pedestrians, whilst still improving traffic flow - the key requirement for receiving funding from WYCA.”
West Yorkshire Combined Authority ( WYCA), a group of leading councillors and officers from West Yorkshire councils, plus York, that works on major infrastructure projects, previously agreed funding for the Holmfirth project.
The cash would have come from its West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, which is supported by Government money totalling £1bn.
In July, Clr McBride said: “The question now is, if we come forward with a more modest scheme can we still have the money?” Clr Patrick dismissed the redesign as “cosmetic”.
The public will be able to comment on the alternative Holmfirth plans until Friday, September 27.
An exhibition will be held from 9am to 7pm on Thursday, September 26 - the day before the feedback period ends - in Holmfirth Civic Hall so people can view the plans and ask questions.
The plans can be found online at www.kirklees.gov.uk/majorschemes