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A Huddersfield town centre street is to remain shut until August, Kirklees Council has confirmed.
Drivers were stuck in congestion at the end of last week following the closure of Dundas Street, which runs from the bus station down the side of Sainsbury’s.
The council had originally said the road would be closed for four months – which would have taken it to June – but now says an error was made and the closure will be in place until August.
As part of the scheme to create an “active travel corridor” a cycle lane will be built down Dundas Street to make it easier for cyclists to travel between the bus station and the railway station.
But the need for a cycle lane has been questioned by even the most strident of advocates. Mirfield Tory councillor Martyn Bolt, a keen cyclist who worked for a national organisation to promote cycling, raised the issue of what he described as “crazy cycling schemes” at a meeting of Kirklees Council.
Referring to Dundas Street, he asked: “How on earth do you get a bike on a bus in the first place?”
In a statement Clr Naheed Mather, Cabinet member for environment, said: “The road closure is in place on Dundas Street so we can complete really important works safely and expediently, to support our plans to make it easier for people to travel through the town centre in a more active way and to improve access to public transport.
“Improvement works to Dundas Street will include widening the footway, introducing trees and a cycle lane. This will improve access from the bus station to Market Street and for those continuing their journeys onto the train station via bicycle.
“Dundas Street will be fully closed until August. Diversion routes are in place to accommodate traffic but our advice to people is to plan journeys in advance of travelling through the area during peak times. And to also give consideration to our other car parks across the town centre (other car parks can be found at www.kirklees.gov.uk/parking).
“Following the first week on site the team are planning to introduce additional signage to support motorists accessing and egressing the area.
“We apologise for any convenience caused but it is not possible to complete these improvement works without fully closing Dundas Street.”
READ MORE: This is how Kirklees Council first announced the closure of Dundas Street
At present, safe access from town to the bus station are many for pedestrians . They include : Macaulay St, Threadneedle St, Dundas St George St and Half Moon St. Has the council every walked around Huddersfield? Would it make more sense to spend the money looking after the old Royal Infirmary than have half baked ideas , planting trees next to buildings, in time undermining foundations and a good roosting point for pigeons. Obviously, cycle lanes going nowhere are not economically justified. 2.99% on council tax would be reduced by sensible planning.
Dundas Street must be the most direct route for elderly shoppers at Sainsbury wanting to depart via the bus station. Does this mean they are likely to be at risk of being mown down by cyclists avoiding trees in the future?
Huddersfield has a dying town centre. The more access to vehicles is restricted, the less likely people are to come to town. All these expensive schemes seem like an uninformed reaction to travel round Huddersfield. Invest in public transport, encourage people into the town instead of paying lip service and wasting council tax payer’s money on random poorly thought out schemes!!