Major Road Improvements A629 Huddersfield to Ainley Top

The project team has evaluated and reviewed all comments received. A report has been sent to Kirklees Council's Cabinet which includes updates to the proposals based on your feedback. You can view the cabinet report by clicking here to download a copy, or from our documents library on this page.

Why we are improving the A629

Congestion, long journey times and poor air quality is currently experienced along the A629. Kirklees Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, is working toward a programme of transport improvements on the A629 between Huddersfield and Ainley Top that will address these issues and drive economic growth.

West Yorkshire Transport Fund

As part of the 'City Deal' between West Yorkshire, York and central government, a £1 billion transport fund has been allocated to the region to increase housing, employment and economic growth. It is this funding that will enable transport improvements to be made along the A629.

A629 Halifax to Huddersfield corridor

The A629 Halifax to Huddersfield has been identified as a key route that, through improvements, could create 1740 jobs by 2026, relieve congestion, reduce journey times for general traffic, and improve pedestrian and cycling accessibility. Kirklees and Calderdale Councils are jointly developing interventions that will be introduced in various phases. For information about the Calderdale part of the A629 see calderdalenextchapter.co.uk (this link will open in a new tab).

Objectives

• Improve accessibility by reducing congestion and improving journey times and reliability
• Improve air quality
• Support job retention and growth
• Support housing growth
• Support economic growth

A629 Halifax Road (Phase 5) (updated August 2025)

There are three locations where improvements are proposed along the A629 between Huddersfield town centre and Ainley Top roundabout. These are:

• Cavalry Arms (Area B): Widening will be carried out on the northern side of Birkby Road to remove a wide staggered arrangement between East Street, to the west of the A629, and Birkby Road to the east. This will enable a more efficient junction allowing more green time to be given to Halifax Road
• Prince Royd (Area C): Parking and loading restriction between Cavalry Arms and Birchencliffe Hill Road. Provision of on-road and off-road residential permit parking areas
• Ainley Top (Area D): Extension of the southern approach lanes between Yew Tree Road and Ainley Top, and creation of a new left slip road onto Ainley Top roundabout; new cycle lanes and cycle crossings.

 The benefits of the scheme include:

• Improve access to Halifax and Huddersfield from the M62, encouraging investment and enabling access to land for housing and employment development
• Make bus journeys more practical, encouraging more people to use public transport
• Dedicated cycle and pedestrian routes will make for safer journeys
• The investment in active travel infrastructure and public transport will encourage users to reduce private vehicle usage and use sustainable travel modes, leading to fewer emissions and reduced congestion

Tree planting:

In total, up to 108 trees will be removed, however, comprehensive tree and shrub re-planting is included as part of the scheme. This will result in a mixture of mature, semi mature and smaller trees being planted along with shrubs and hedgerows. In total over 730 new trees will be planted along the route.

Proposed tree planting programme

• Blacker Road / Edgerton Road junction: 9 new trees to be planted as well as 10 large shrubs.
• Halifax Road / Birkby Road junction: 7 new trees to be planted as well as 20m of hedgerow and various species of shrubs.
• Ainley Top: Over 720 new trees to be planted.

 August 2025 update

We have received approval to proceed to construction. Subject to discharging planning conditions we will start construction from mid-September 2025.

Construction dates are:

• Cavalry Arms (Area B): Mid-February 2026 to mid-November 2026
• Prince Royd (Area C): Late October 2025 to mid-July 2026
• Ainley Top (Area D): 15th September 2025 to late June 2026.