Consultation launched on key route improvements

A public consultation has been launched on plans to improve a key route into Bradford to ease congestion.

The £45m proposal for the A650, along Tong Street and Wakefield Road, also aims to make public transport and active travel such as walking and cycling more reliable and accessible.

If approved, it could include new bus lanes and a two-way cycle path, improved footpaths, pedestrian crossings, bus stops and junctions and road widening along parts of Tong Street.

Bradford Council said it hoped to create a better-connected, more dependable transport network for road users.

The scheme, delivered by Bradford Council in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, covers a combined 2.2 mile (3.6km) stretch of Wakefield Road and Tong Street, from the junction with Croft Street in the city centre to the Tong Leadership Academy School.

It is estimated to cost £45m and, if approved, funding would be provided by the Department for Transport and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the council said.

According to the local authority, 37,000 vehicles use the A650 daily, with heavy traffic making public transport less reliable.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, the council's executive member for regeneration, planning and transport said: "This scheme aims to make it safer and easier for people to walk, wheel or cycle to local shops, schools and amenities in a healthier and more pleasant environment.

"The A650 Connect scheme is also part of a wider strategy to improve major transport routes across the Bradford district."

Members of the public can have their say on the proposals as part of a consultation, which is being held until 6 April.

The council said it would also hold drop-in sessions and a webinar for the public later this month.

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