By Leah Conway –
Kirklees residents have a chance to share their views on the plants to improve connections between Huddersfield train station and the rest of the town centre.
Kirklees Council has developed plans with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. The aim is to make travelling by rail across Huddersfield easier for everyone; to live, work, study, or visit.
Improvements to the Huddersfield train station is part of the Huddersfield Blueprint – a vision of improving the town over the next ten years.
This scheme focuses on the next series of proposed improvements for the town centre as part of the Huddersfield Blueprint, which is a 10-year vision to help create a thriving, modern-day, family-friendly town centre.
Network Rail’s Transpennine is upgrading the routes that will improve the lines from Huddersfield to Leeds, Manchester and more, which aims to compliments the more local improvements – improving travel both across the town and across Yorkshire and the north.
The council and its partners have completed an assessment of the critical issues the scheme needs to address. Aspects the council wants to address include things like the town centre streets dominated by vehicles; the need for better bus routes and more convenient bus stops, make walking and cycling routes easier, increase tree planting and green spaces and more.
Ambitious investment & regeneration
Councillor Peter McBride, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “The town is in the middle of an ambitious period of investment and regeneration that has already seen major successes.
“The changes we are proposing will help encourage more walking, cycling, bus and rail travel. These sustainable modes of travel are not only key to us addressing the climate emergency but instrumental in improving the health and wellbeing of the people of Kirklees.
“The scheme will also help to prepare the town centre for the upcoming Transpennine Route Upgrade which is in the best interests of us all. Improved travel from Kirklees and into the North of England is essential for our economic future.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Making public transport work for people and tackling the climate emergency on our way to becoming a net-zero carbon economy by 2038 are at the heart of my Mayoral pledges. This important scheme will not only help us do that, but it will also connect more people with job, education and training opportunities.
“A better and more inclusive transport network goes beyond getting people from A to B. It is about getting all of us — our people, our communities, our businesses - to where we want to be as a region.”
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee and Leader of Bradford Council, said:
“We are pleased to be working in partnership with Kirklees Council on these proposals to improve the transport connections between Huddersfield Rail Station and the rest of the town centre.
“I would encourage everyone to make the most of this opportunity to help shape the plans by taking part in the public consultation.”
Read more: Have your say on plans to improve the Dewsbury-Batley-Chidswell area
Your Voice
There is more than £66 million worth of transport improvement schemes being delivered through this programme in Kirklees.
The council has broken down the proposals for Huddersfield Rail Station Connections into six distinct areas: Northumberland Street & John William Street, St John’s Road, Trinity Street, Brunswick Street Footpath, Huddersfield Rail Station Ticket Hall, and Mobility Hubs.
You can share your opinions on the council’s proposals online. The public consultation runs from 12 October to 8 November 2021. Have your say here.