Key details
Improvements for walking and cycling journeys in north Halifax.
Current status
Connecting people
We are working in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to deliver improvements to walking in north Halifax which aim to benefit residents, businesses, and visitors.
Making trips on foot, bicycle, scooter, or bus, rather than by car, helps to improve health and the environment. When we travel in these ways, we lower pollution related to breathing problems and climate change and improve our health.
The Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme is focussed on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities. The programme achieves this connectivity through accessible, attractive, and cleaner transport. This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality, helping to create happier healthier communities for the future.
This work is more important than ever, as we address the health and economic challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and work towards becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038.
To achieve our ambitious net zero targets in this time frame we need to:
- reduce car trips by 21%
- increase cycling trips by 2000%
- increase walking trips by 78%
- increase bus trips by 39%
- increase rail trips by 53%
It is estimated TCF schemes will improve journeys by bus, rail, bike and on foot for up to 1.5 million people, take up to 12 million car trips per year off our roads and reduce CO₂ emissions from car travel by up to 15,000 tonnes by 2036.
Plans
We’re aiming to make walking and cycling easier and safer. We want to improve access between north Halifax and Halifax town centre. Improving facilities for cycling and walking will help people get to places more easily in north Halifax, including shops, workplaces, health centres and schools. With improved walkways, crossing places and traffic calming we’re hoping to make it easier for people to choose to walk more.
Through this project, we want to:
- Create a new cycleway from north Halifax to Halifax town centre
- Improve pavements and crossing points for walking and cycling
- Make streets better for walking and cycling, widen footways and discourage high traffic speeds
- Improve bus stop layouts and waiting areas
- Improve green spaces
- Improve lighting in areas that feel unsafe and add planting in some snickets and under bridges
We have presented the proposals in three zones:
- Zone 1: Dean Clough and Lee Bridge to Ovenden Way via Shroggs Road
- Zone 2: Ovenden Way to Cousin Lane
- Zone 3: Cousin Lane to Keighley Rd and snickets between Ovenden Way and Keighley Road
We are no longer progressing with proposals for two zones: zone 4: Illingworth, and zone 5: Shay Lane, Ovenden; that were originally included in the scope of the project.
Calderdale Council has also secured funding from West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund’s Corridor Improvement Programme Phase 2 (CIP) to improve transport and connectivity from Halifax town centre through to north Halifax (A629 Orange Street Roundabout to Ogden).
A note on design
The design of some sections of these proposals, in particular, Zone 3: Cousin Lane to Keighley Rd and snickets between Ovenden Way and Keighley Road, is inspired by the Greener Grangetown project. The award-winning project was designed to support people to choose sustainable travel options, make the area safer and more pedestrian-friendly, and improve air quality.
The area close to the banks of the River Taff had few trees and green areas, speeding was an issue, roads were difficult to cross safely, and kerbs and surfaces were in poor condition.
The designers made some key improvements:
- Added traffic calming measures like raised tables and crossings, imprinted textures along the centre of roads, and introduced bicycle priority streets,
- Improved visibility, replacing parking spaces at junctions and crossings with low planters,
- New benches, litter bins, and cycle stands to provide a more relaxing environment that feels safer,
- Added sustainable drainage,
- Planted fruit trees, wildflower meadows, habitats for invertebrates, insects and small birds, and improved trails so that more people use the streets day and night, and for more reasons.
Benefits
Sustainability
More, and higher quality facilities for walking and cycling.
Connectivity
Better walking, cycling, and bus connections for active and sustainable ways of travelling.
Environment
Reduced pollution and carbon emissions associated with transport, helping to address climate change.
Better links
An improved walking and cycling link between the town centre, Dean Clough, and north Halifax.
Employment
Better walking and cycling connections to Halifax town centre and employment, study, and onward travel opportunities.
Progress
18 December 2023
Updated designs for Zone 3: Cousin Lane to Keighley Rd and snickets between Ovenden Way and Keighley Road are now available to view.
We listened to local feedback and used it to amend the plans. Current parking provision along Cousin Lane in Ovenden will be retained and we've changed the design of the proposed cycle lane on this road. The revised designs include the loss of just one tree and additional trees to be planted to compensate for this small loss.
These revised plans for the north Halifax Improved Streets for People project were displayed at a community information event on Wednesday 13 December 2023 from 3-7pm at Forest Cottage on Cousin Lane.
12 December 2023
Feedback shapes improvements in north and west Halifax. The feedback gathered earlier this year has been used to shape the development of the next stage of detailed designs for each of the projects.
11 December 2023
You can now read the North Halifax Improved Streets for People public engagement report 2023 to find out about our last consultation, what people told us, and how we’ve responded.
7 December 2023
Revised plans for the North Halifax Improved Streets for People project will be on display at a community information event on Wednesday 13 December 2023 from 3 - 7 pm at Forest Cottage on Cousin Lane.
27 March 2023
We held a public consultation from November 2021 to January 2022. We listened to what people told us about the proposals and we reported on the results of that consultation in March 2022. Since then, we have been working on the designs with our consultants. We’ve made a number of changes:
Dean Clough to North Parade and Crib Lane car Park (including Corporation Street and Akroyd Place)
- We have reduced the speed limit to 20mph and included traffic calming measures in the designs.
- We have simplified proposals where possible to reduce disruption during construction.
- We have changed the cycle route round the side of Cribb Lane car park (by Orange Street Roundabout) so that it is shared with pedestrians. This is to avoid removing trees in this area. It will not be as wide as in the previous design but, at 3 metres, it will be wider than the current path.
- We have removed the Bus Gate proposals, particularly due to concerns raised by Dean Clough.
A629 Ovenden Road
- We’ve kept two lanes for traffic queuing at the Shroggs Road junction leading to Ovenden Road. Our previous proposals reduced this to one lane. Plans for the crossing at this junction have been kept in the designs.
- We have reduced the lane widths on the dual carriageway as it approaches Ovenden Way to 3m. This is to allow space for the adjacent walking and cycling facilities and to help reduce speeds.
Ovenden Way
- We have updated proposals to keep and formalise parking as much as possible. There will be very little change to the amount of parking compared to the current layout.
- We are considering introducing a knee rail to prevent parking along the central verge at the bottom of Ovenden Way.
Cousin Lane
- We have replaced the bidirectional cycle routes which were designed to run along just one side of Cousin Lane with narrower one-way cycle routes down each side of the road, allowing for less stop/start cycling and easier access to driveways.
- We have updated proposals to add five car parking spaces opposite Moor Lane from the area of the layby which is to be removed. All other laybys remain unchanged.
- We’re removing a small stretch of on street parking on the eastern side of Cousin Lane near the junction with Bank Edge Road and add new parking spaces opposite.
- Proposals for Cousin Lane now accommodate vehicle access to the business park on Club Lane.
- Feedback from the previous consultation and issues around technical design have meant Cousin Lane designs needed to change more than in other areas. We’ve shared the detail of these new designs below. These are large image files so you may need to zoom in to see the detail. They are listed in order running North to South:
A629 Junction with Lee Bridge to Northgate Lee Bridge
- We have made the proposals for pedestrian and cycling paths safer, on a route that is easier for cyclists and avoids steep gradients.
If you have feedback, comments, or suggestions about any of our proposals, or if would like more detail about an area that may affect you, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can use our handy form or email us.
16 March 2023
We've updated proposals for north and west Halifax based on the feedback we received in the recent consultation. We’ll be sharing them at these events:
West Halifax proposals
📅 Monday 20 March 2023 from 3pm to 7pm
📍 Elsie Whitely Innovation Centre, Halifax HX1 5ER.
North Halifax proposals
📅 Tuesday 28 March 2023 from 3pm to 7pm
📍 Forest Cottage Centre, Halifax HX2 8AD.
If you can’t make it, you will be able to find out all the information on the updated proposals on this page from Monday 27 March 2023.
January 2023
We have appointed a consultant to support us with the design process.
We have reviewed all the feedback from the last consultation. We are using what we have learned to develop our proposals.
We are working on the designs for Shroggs Road/Ovenden Road junction, and Cousin Lane, so that they better reflect the needs of the community.
We are not progressing with the proposals for Zone 4 and Zone 5. This is so we can maximise the benefits in the core project area and manage costs. We may be able to deliver these proposals through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) programme.
We will be sharing updated proposals ahead of full business case (FBC) submission in summer 2023.
Surveys in the area
We have installed cameras to collect traffic, pedestrian, and cycle data. This data will help us to understand how people use the streets. For example, how many people cross a section of road, or how many vehicles turn left at a junction. We use this data to support the development of our proposals. We will analyse the data to provide evidence to the funding body that our proposals will benefit all road users. Once we have completed the project we will repeat the surveys to determine if the measures were effective.
We do not capture any personal information or use the cameras to monitor individual people or vehicles.
Our survey contractor has positioned cameras around the area to capture movements. We are surveying 9 junctions, 17 locations to observe walking and cycling movements, and 4 areas to understand how people use parking bays.
All surveys should be complete by the end of January 2023. We will remove cameras once the surveys are complete.
March 2022
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) have published the report on the public consultation held November 2021 to January 2022. It is available now on Your Voice: North Halifax Improved Streets for People- Round 2 Consultation Outcome Report.
We're analysing the feedback. We will use insights from the consultation to shape the detailed designs that will go into the full business case (FBC) submission to WYCA later this year.
December 2021
We have extended the consultation period which is now open until Sunday 30 January 2022. Take part on Your Voice: North Halifax Improved Streets for People Round 2.
November 2021
We have made a number of changes to the proposals since the consultation in March and April 2021. The updated proposals are now available. Between Thursday 4 November and midnight on Thursday 19 December 2021, we are asking for your feedback on the proposals.
Your views are important so please let us know what you think.
After the public consultation is closed on Sunday 19 December 2021, all feedback will be analysed and considered as we develop the final designs.
When proposals are finalised and approved, a contractor will be appointed, and we expect construction to start in 2023.
September 2021
West Yorkshire Combined Authority have published the Consultation Analysis Report for the North Halifax Improved Streets for People consultation held in March and April 2021.
Spring 2021
The Strategic Outline Business Case (SOC) was approved in Summer 2020 and the North Halifax Active Travel package will now progress to develop an Outline Business Case (OBC). At this stage we will continue to define the scope of the project to identify the locations and type of improvements required in order to achieve the benefits. A public consultation took place in March and April 2021 and the results are being used to help inform the plans going forward.
Funding
This project was made possible through funding from:
