Kirklees Council has launched a second round of public consultation into a planned revamp of streets in Huddersfield town centre – and has made major changes to what was originally proposed.

The council has £16 million to spend on a scheme called Huddersfield Rail Station Connections and planned big changes in and around Northumberland Street and John William Street.

Originally the council wanted cycle lanes running down both sides of Northumberland Street with on-street parking removed.

One of the three options included a tree-lined central reservation running down the middle of the road.

READ MORE: How Northumberland Street would have looked with a double cycle lane

John William Street was also to have parking removed, along with the taxi rank, while Wood Street was to be closed to traffic between Northumberland Street and Brook Street.

Following the first round of public consultation, the cycle lanes for Northumberland Street have been dropped and the pay-and-display parking will now be for disabled parking and loading only.

It is still described as a “tree-lined boulevard” but the trees will be down one side. Pavements will be widened and a 20mph speed limit will be introduced.

The changes for John William Street (above, before (left) and after) will see some parking retained along with the taxi rank. It also becomes a “tree-lined boulevard” with a 20mph limit.

A cycle route would be provided along Wood Street and Brook Street as well as a “segregated track” on John William Street between Brook Street and Fitzwilliam Street. Viaduct Street, meanwhile, would be made one-way.

Huddersfield Rail Station Connections is aimed making travel to and from the station easier. Part of the wider Huddersfield Blueprint it is funded by West Yorkshire Combined Authority with £3 million from Kirklees Council.

Public consultation is open online until December 23 2022 and there are in-person consultations too as below.

Clr Eric Firth, the council’s Cabinet member for transport and town centres, said: “It is our ambition to prepare Huddersfield Rail Station for the TransPennine Route Upgrade, but also a significant step forward in the project to transform Huddersfield’s historic railway station.

“These improvements could increase connectivity for the town centre community, providing faster, more efficient sustainable transport links from the station to the rest of the town centre.

“The station gateway improvement will not only provide a much-needed modernisation of the station and surrounding area, creating a fitting gateway to our beautiful town, but it is also an integral part of the wider Huddersfield Blueprint ambition.

“The scheme will better welcome visitors making improvements to key ring road junctions and streets near St George’s Square, making onward travel much easier, and create a more pleasant environment for everyone using the station.”

The double cycle lanes proposed for Northumberland Street (left) are dropped and replaced with wider pavements (right)

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said: “We want to make it easier to walk, cycle and use public transport across Huddersfield. This is vital to connect more people with jobs and tackle the climate emergency.

“This is part of a £75 million-plus investment in transport improvements across Kirklees and is a great example of how together we are making it an even better place to work and live.”

The first phase of public consultation took place in November 2021, and the feedback from this has been used to progress the plans further, including modernising the arrival to the station square.

The revised series of proposed improvements are broken down into four distinct areas and people are being asked for further views on the following:

  • Area 1a Northumberland Street;
  • Area 1b John William Street (north of St George’s Square);
  • Area 2 St John’s Road and Oxford Street;
  • Area 3a Trinity Street – On-street improvements.

Those schemes which had public support in the first round of consultation are progressing to the design stage: These are:

  • Area 3b Trinity Street Underpass;
  • Area 4 Brunswick Street Footpath;
  • Area 5 Huddersfield Rail Station Entrance Hall Improvements

Also dropped from the original plans is a “mobility hub” and a proposal to remove crossings as part of a cycle link from Trinity Street to Greenhead Park.

Travel hub with pop-up food stalls, charging points and parcel lockers planned for Huddersfield town centre

The mobility hubs have been “paused” and will be “revisited once a new transport strategy has been developed.”

The council says the proposals seek to increase safety and enable more people to walk and cycle, while also improving bus and rail station connections. They say it will create a ‘people-focused’ town with better public spaces.

To find out more information and to have your say visit www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/hudds-access2. The consultation will run until Friday December 23.