When is a cycle lane not a cycle lane? When it’s in Dundas Street.

Kirklees Council caused controversy in February when they announced Dundas Street, which runs from Huddersfield Bus Station down the side of Sainsbury’s, was to be closed for four months for improvement works. Parking was lost and a taxi rank was moved.

As part of those improvement works the council said there would be a cycle lane installed to encourage cycling between the bus and railway stations.

In a press release issued by the council, Clr Peter McBride, Cabinet member for regeneration, said: “We are undertaking works to create an active travel corridor on Dundas Street. The improvements include a new cycle lane, and a better footway with the aim of providing more space and a safer route for walkers and cyclists.”

READ MORE: Dundas Street is to be closed until August

When Huddersfield Hub asked the council for more information about how long Dundas Street would be closed for the council issued a statement from Clr Naheed Mather, Cabinet for the environment, which said: “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.”

People questioned whether a cycle lane was needed in Dundas Street with Mirfield Tory councillor Martyn Bolt, a keen cyclist himself, criticising the plans.

“You can’t take a bike on a bus so why go to the bus station in the first place?” he asked.

Work underway in Dundas Street

Puzzled, Clr Bolt raised the issue at a meeting of the council’s Economy and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Panel last Thursday. He said he’d looked at the plans for Dundas Street and there was no cycle lane.

He asked why the public had been told there would be a cycle lane when there was nothing on the plans.

Aiming his question at council officers, he said: “I still can’t see a cycle lane, that’s the key point. Is there one?”

An officer replied: “If there’s some information you have seen about specific cycle lanes in Dundas Street or Upperhead Row that’s not the current intention. If there’s any misleading information, apologies for that.”

The only concession to cyclists going down Dundas Street would be to allow them to turn left at the bottom but there would be no cycle lane down the length of Dundas Street, he said.

Huddersfield Hub asked the council to clarify the position about whether there was a cycle lane or not.

The council issued a statement from Colin Parr, strategic director for environment and climate, which said: “There are no changes to the plans on Dundas Street with improvements having always included a short length of cycle lane at the junction with Market Street as part of a wider active travel corridor through the town centre.

“This modest improvement will enable cyclists to turn both left and right at the junction of Dundas Street with Market Street, improving the accessibility for cycling through the town. Motorised vehicles will still be required to turn right at the junction.”

Huddersfield Hub took a series of photographs of the work on-going in Dundas Street and there doesn’t appear to be any sign of even a “short length of cycle lane” – at least not yet. Watch this space!