KCC Newsletter #44

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to Newsletter number 44.

It is well known that in the last decade Kirklees Council has lost out on many funding opportunities to develop a Kirklees Cycling Network. There are a number of examples where money destined for a scheme in Kirklees has been re-directed to other parts of West Yorkshire.
In recent months Kirklees Council invited KCC to discuss with them as to how situations, such as this, might be avoided in the future. The council has made some structural and personel changes, but there is a lot more to do. KCC have been suggesting some additional ways in which the Council would be more equipped to seek, and take advantage of,  future funding opportunities. We hope to give more details of these plans in future newsletters.
In the meantime, and as a gesture of goodwill, The Council asked KCC to suggest three low-cost projects that could be easily implemented from existing Council Funding. The projects were called ‘Easy Wins’. The combined KCC committee  got to work trying to come up with three schemes but finished up with more than twenty. We decided therefore to make two lists; the three preferred schemes plus a ‘reserve’ list. We also
reminded the council of the need for many other more expensive schemes and we made a preliminary list of these.
Below is the result of the KCC’s committee’s work:

– 3 low-cost proposals for cycling improvements.

Location	Project description	Benefits
Riverside Path	Surface path for approx. 100m near former waste management site and realign at the site corner.	This will complete the path sufacing and eliminate a blind spot
Rifle Fields Huddersfield	Create a direct cycle route between Civic Centre and Park Avenue by using the underpass and dropping curbs. (Further details on email attachment).	Creates a low-cost quiet route linking Greenhead Park and Greenhead College with Civic Centre and Leisure Centre.
Brookroyd Lane Wilton Park	Removal of obstructing barriers allowing all kinds of cycles to use the route. Creation of a pedestrian and parallel cycle crossing across Brookroyd Lane. (Further details on email attachment).	Creation of a safer crossing. Will enable more people to use the route, and is a ‘piece in the jigsaw’ towards creating a continuous route between Birstall and Batley (LCWIP potential)

Easy Wins Reserve List (brief description)

1. Dewsbury:  Use Emergency ‘Flood Path” to mend broken link in NCN 69 between Mill St West and Sands Lane.
   2. Huddersfield Old Leeds Rd: Upgrade of poor existing route into town centre
   3.Pilot 20mph scheme in a selected neighbourhood.
   4. Kirkheaton to Bradley via Dalton Bank: Develop route
   5. Old Lane Bradley: route upgrade
   6.Grimscar ‘Greenway’ extend to Birkby
   7.Armitage Bridge: Upgrade quiet route to Lockwood
   8.Huddersfield Turnbridge: Closure to motor traffic
   9.Kilner Bank: Develop cycle route Stadium to Moldgreen
   10. Meltham Poppy Gdns: Make access to Greenway
   11.Meltham Mean Lane: Make access to Greenway
   12. Shelley to Shepley: Surface Stretchgate
   13. Skelmanthorpe: Surface Pilling Lane
   14. Batley: Surface Grange Road
   15. Dewsbury: Restrict vehicle traffic in Chideswell Lane
   16. Queen St South Huddersfield: Improve poor cycle infrastructure
   17.Huddersfield RR Crossing for cyclists at EITHER Market St underpass or Alfred St.
   18. More Quiet Lanes like Magdale
   19. Huddersfield Broad Canal: Surface between Apsley and Red Doles Lane.
   20. Remove A frame barriers from Kirklees cycling routes.

   PLUS:

   
   Major projects – not to be forgotten: (preliminary list)

• Fenay Greenway
• Spen Valley Ringway
• Routes in the Holme Valley
• Birstall to Batley
• NCN 69 from Longroyd Bridge through Huddersfield Town Centre and on to Red Doles Lane.
• Greenhead Park to Huddersfield Railway Station via Trinity Street
• Extending Meltham Greenway

All new housing developments to include integrated cycling and walking routes that make Active Travel links to key destinations.

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Bradley to Brighouse – Consultation open until 14th October.

This newsletter ends with a mention of a project that finally seems to be materialising. For over a decade cyclists have been promised a route between Cooper Bridge and Brighouse that avoids the death trap that is the A644.
The route has has been extremely difficult to develop, not least because of the intransigence  of the local land owners; but it seems that we might nearly be there.
The chosen route will be a controversial one for some, but at least there is, after all this time,  finally a link that allows people from Kirklees to safely cycle into Brighouse and beyond.
Have a look at the consultation on the link below:

https://www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/

and make a contribution to it if you can.
John Lewis – Chair KCC