Frequency Asked Questions

The A638 has high volumes of traffic and it a key route through the heart of West Yorkshire, arriving in Dewsbury from Wakefield. It skirts Dewsbury town centre, and leads through to Heckmondwike and Cleckheaton, and up to the Chain Bar roundabout at junction 26 of the M62 motorway. It is an important route connecting Dewsbury, Heckmondwike and Cleckheaton, and provides a link to the city of Bradford.

Kirklees Council is responsible for delivering the scheme. Kirklees Council is working in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. The Combined Authority works with Local Authorities and businesses across West Yorkshire and York to create economic growth through infrastructure projects such as this. To learn more about the Combined Authority, visit: https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/.

These projects are being funded through the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF), provided by the Department for Transport following a successful bidding process. The programme aims to provide improved infrastructure for active and sustainable travel (walking, cycling and public transport). The projects are not funded by Council Tax, nor will its funding allocation impact other Council funding streams. The Dewsbury-Cleckheaton Sustainable Travel Corridor has £12m allocated funding, plus £4m for the proposed Heckmondwike Bus Station, from the TCF programme.

The objectives of the projects are:

• Improve bus reliability and attractiveness so that more people will choose sustainable transport and to travel by bus 
• Improve the standard of provision and safety for cyclists and improve the attractiveness/ journey quality of cycling along the A638 corridor and Spen Valley Greenway and Ringway
• Improve Air Quality along the corridor and reduce carbon emissions
• Resolve the issue of substandard footway widths along the corridor so that more people can walk easily and safely

Bus Station objectives:

• To improve the experience for passengers using the hub by providing better facilities and travel information
• Encourage more people to use the bus 
• Increase capacity at the bus hub to accommodate more buses in the future 
• Opportunity to provide a shop and/ or office space within the bus station

The bus station proposal provides several benefits for the public. These include:

• The potential for increase of services per hour at the facility
• Better connections via the new bus station
• A weather-proof station building that can provide more comfortable waiting facilities, including more and better seating provision
• Real-time information to help passengers access up-to-date travel information 

The Heckmondwike Bus Station project will require full planning consent from the planning authority.

The visualisations show an aspirational concept design of the type of bus station we would like to build in Heckmondwike. The final nature of the architecture will be determined following public consultation and during the detailed design stage.

The A638 Sustainable Travel Corridor and Heckmondwike Bus Station will contribute to Kirklees Council’s 2038 carbon neutral vision, and the Combined Authority’s Net Zero Carbon Economy by 2038. 

The schemes will do this using green infrastructure (such as trees, lawns, hedgerows) and blue infrastructure (water elements, such as rivers, canals, ponds) where appropriate. Primarily, the projects will attempt to encourage more people to walk, cycle and use the bus, through making these options more reliable, attractive and achievable.

The scheme aims to achieve better reliability for buses along the A638 through providing bus lanes in some areas, and bus priority at key junctions through new technology on the approach and at the traffic lights. 

The proposed bus lanes on either side of the Chain Bar Roundabout will further improve bus journey times and reliability. No impact on car journey times is expected.

Providing a new Bus Station at Heckmondwike will increase the capacity of the hub from four stands to six, creating less congestion at the interchange and more opportunity for services to stop here.

There will not be any new bus stops, but some current bus stops may be relocated and/ or upgraded as part of the corridor project. The scheme is at an early stage of development, and any proposed bus stop relocation will be determined when undertaking the next design stage with further consultation planned at that point.

We are currently working through concept and feasibility designs for the projects, and it is unlikely that bus stops will be removed and not replaced. We will update at the next round of public engagement.

Cycle lanes along the main stretch of the A638 are being considered at this point in development. Cycle links to the Spen Valley Greenway and Ringway from the A638 road are set to be implemented as part of this scheme. Widening of the Spen Valley Greenway is also being considered.

As part of our scheme consultation, we will engage with local cycle groups. As the scheme is still in its early stages, we would like to hear your thoughts on our proposals to help us develop the plans.

New and upgraded pedestrian and pedestrian / cycle crossings may be provided throughout the route. This scheme aims to improve pedestrian safety and make it more pleasant and safer to walk in the area through footway widening in certain locations where existing provision is very poor and / or there is high footfall demand.

The provision of new cycle lanes would be achieved through widening into the central reservation, narrowing traffic lanes and in some locations possibly removing on-street parking. The potential location for cycle facilities and any impacts of this, particularly on parking availability, are shown in the consultation plans.

We are consulting on the option of 24hour bus lane operation as this provides a clear and consistent approach for all users to follow, and follows the latest best practice guidance.

The proposed cycle facilities will be designed in line with the latest design recommendations from the Department for Transport, which will ensure that safe access to properties is maintained through construction and as part of the final scheme. Where parking is to remain or is proposed the cycle lanes will be designed to ensure safety for both access to parking and passing cyclists.

The aim of this first consultation phase is to find out public opinion on the principle of the proposals before investing further funding in scheme development. Initial modelling of the scheme designs using computer simulation has been undertaken to estimate any potential impacts on traffic delay. The next stage of design will develop this modelling further. Kirklees Council will undertake a second public consultation with more detailed plans and quantified benefits / impacts in the Autumn of 2021.

Some of the design options within the scheme would impact on local parking on the highway along certain stretches of the A638. These are annotated on the scheme plans supporting this consultation. This will be developed as the scheme evolves, and residents, businesses and any other stakeholders will be consulted on the detail before any changes can be made.

We are seeking public opinion on the use of the parking bays to the north of the Heckmondwike Bus Hub site.

Pedestrian access to all properties and shops will be maintained. Some of the proposed parking removal may mean that alternative loading areas would have to be used, or that deliveries would be restricted to certain times of the day (such as outside of peak periods). The scheme is at an early stage and these restrictions are likely to evolve throughout the design, which is why we are seeking your input now within this consultation. 

Deliveries that pass through the bus hub would not be affected with the current design proposals.

All access to properties will be maintained. The change in routing / proposed one-way streets may mean that your route will be slightly different, but access to all properties and shops will be maintained.

It is currently envisaged that the scheme will not require land outside the existing highway boundary or land owned by Kirklees Council, however this will be confirmed as design progresses. Any affected landowners would be contacted directly by the project team.

It is not currently proposed to remove any trees, however this will be dependent on the final scheme design and tree surveys currently being undertaken. In the unfortunate event we must remove a tree, we will comply with policies outlined in the Kirklees Local Plan, including the recently adopted Open Space Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), which refers to biodiversity net gain.

The phasing of roadworks on the public highway still needs to be planned. Nearer the time of construction, local residents and businesses will be provided with more detail about what will happen and where.

The detail of the roadworks and timings of this will be determined closer to the time of construction.  Roadworks would only be carried out at night in limited circumstances to meet traffic operational requirements and residents would be informed well in advance.

We will work on minimising disruption to services during construction. The detailed traffic management strategy will be created at the detailed design / Full Business Case stage.

The schemes are currently under development and are going through design review and consultation stages, with a preferred scheme to be identified by Outline Business Case stage in Autumn 2021.  There are several stages of business case approval from the Combined Authority to fulfil local assurance requirements prior to construction. Due to the size and complexity of the proposed works the improvements may be introduced in phases. The current projection for a start on construction of the schemes is in early spring 2022, for both the Bus Station and the A638 corridor project.

The scheme is checked through sequenced decision gateways in the Assurance Process of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. There are five business case gateways within this assurance process.  At each stage, recommendations on the scheme are made by an officer-based appraisal team to the relevant committee(s) of elected members of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. There are five business case gateways within this assurance process. At each stage, recommendations on the scheme are made by an officer-based appraisal team to the relevant committee(s) of elected members.

Funding for the early phase of the scheme was secured through The Combined Authority to allow Kirklees Council to start developing and promoting the scheme. This has allowed us to undertake initial studies and business case development, optioneering and outline designing. This project is still at an early stage of development. The schemes have been through the Combined Authority and Kirklees Cabinet approvals process at Strategic Outline Case stage.

The decision documents are published both on Kirklees Council and The Combined Authority’s website.

For Kirklees see: Agenda for Cabinet on Tuesday 1st September 2020, 2.00 pm | Kirklees Council Item 10

For The CA see: WYCA - Modern Gov

Kirklees Council are undertaking early consultation on this scheme to understand the opinions of the public and of key stakeholders before undertaking more detailed design and analysis which will incorporate feedback from this first consultation. The analysis will include 

•Further junction modelling using computer software to determine benefits and any impacts on user journey times

•Wider benefits and impacts relating to people shifting to sustainable modes of transport (such as walking, cycling and public transport), safety improvements, public open space and landscaped grass or planted areas

•Continued discussion with stakeholders such as local Councillors, businesses, resident groups, and local action groups

•Appraisal to help determine whether the proposals offer ‘value for money’ against defined Department for Transport criteria

Kirklees Council will undertake further public consultation once designs have developed and more information can be provided on the quantified benefits and impacts – for example what journey time savings might bus passengers experience, the number of new pedestrian crossing points or specific areas of new pavement space.  This second phase of consultation is expected to take place in the Autumn of 2021.

The consultation period will take place from 9 July until 15 August 2021. You can have your say via www.yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk/A638travel or email yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk. We are keen to hear from local residents, businesses and other road users.

Leaflets containing information about the scheme and signposting people to the survey link will be posted to residents and businesses along the corridor. Real time information screens at bus shelters will display information. Anyone who cannot access the survey online and needs to request an alternative format should contact MetroLine on 0113 245 7676.

We welcome the opinions and feedback of all members of the public. Whether you travel by public transport, walk, drive, or cycle, are a resident, business owner, or just travel through the area, your views, opinions and insight are valuable to us to shape the project. Please share the link www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/A638travel with anyone you think would be interested in taking part. If you intend to submit a joint response on behalf of a group/organisation, please share the link with your colleagues/members so they can provide an individual response, should they wish to do so.

You can register to follow the projects and have your say in any future consultations at  www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/register. Updates on project progress will also be provided via the Combined Authority’s and local councils’ webpages and via press articles. You can also contact your Local Ward Councillors. We will publish a report on the consultation response on this website.

Providing an accessible, attractive and cleaner alternative to car journeys is at the heart of Leeds City Region’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) - a major new programme of transport infrastructure investment secured as part of the West Yorkshire devolution deal.

The programme will be funded through £317 million from the Department for Transport (DfT) plus local match funding of up to £140 million.  

In partnership with local authorities, the Combined Authority will deliver transformational infrastructure, which will dramatically improve people’s access to walking, cycling and public transport.

It is estimated TCF schemes will improve journeys by bus, rail, bike and on foot for up to 1.5 million people, take up to 12 million car trips per year off our roads and reduce CO2 emissions from car travel by up to 15,000 tonnes by 2036.  

Communities across Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York are set to benefit from the schemes, which include new or improved bus and rail stations, cycling and walking infrastructure, and new Park and Rides.

The programme will deliver:

• two new Park & Rides
• one new rail station
• four new foot and cycle bridges
• six new or improved bus stations and interchange hubs
• new high quality cycle routes along six corridors
• bus priority along six key bus routes to create more reliable and faster bus journey times
• 800 new cycle parking spaces
• seven improvements to Rail Station Gateways
• new Real Time Information and improved passenger experience across the network.  

The Combined Authority is working in partnership with local authority colleagues from Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Selby, Wakefield and York councils on the TCF programme.

It is estimated TCF will:

• improve journeys by bus, rail, bike and on foot for up to 1.5 million people
• take up to 12 million car trips per year off our roads by 2036
• make 33 million rail journeys easier by improvements to rail stations
• increase bus, rail, and walking and cycling trips by up to 6%, 4% and 7% respectively by 2036
• reduce CO2 emissions by up to 1.5% / 15,000 tonnes from car travel by 2036
• create more than 1,000 jobs and add up to £1 billion to the economy by 2036
• support connectivity to 650 housing sites and 220 employment sites

As part of the West Yorkshire devolution deal, the Combined Authority secured £317 million from the DfT’s TCF programme to deliver schemes in the low-cost scenario.

Since then, the Combined Authority has approved the use of future gain share funding, alongside other income streams, to deliver the high-cost scenario up to an additional £140 million.  

This additional funding will help us deliver more transport improvements, which will benefit communities across West Yorkshire. 

This work is more important than ever, not only as we look to address the health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also in helping us achieve our aim of becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038.

We need to reduce car trips by 21% and increase cycling trips by 2,000%, walking trips by 78%, bus strips by 39% and rail trips by 53% if we are to achieve our ambitious net zero targets in this time frame. 

The programme will connect people to economic and education opportunities through accessible, affordable, attractive and cleaner transport, boosting productivity and helping to create healthier and happier communities for the future.  

Through the programme and building on the significant progress already made, we are working in partnership to transform our town and city centres for walking and cycling, improve bus reliability and journey times, and investing in our region to prepare for HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail and the Transpennine Route Upgrade.

Communities across Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York are set to benefit from the schemes, which include new or improved bus and rail stations, cycling and walking infrastructure, and new Park and Rides.

The programme is focused on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities.  This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality.   

There are 22 packages of schemes, comprising between 30 and 35 individual projects, within the overall programme.

Different schemes are at different stages, right through from the development of business cases and designs, to gearing up for public consultation, with Halifax Bus Station redevelopment due to start on site in spring 2021.  

Find out more information at westyorks-ca.gov.uk/TCF 

The schemes funded through the DfT need to be delivered by spring 2023, with schemes financed by local match funding being delivered beyond these timescales.

To date, there has been minimal impact of the programme as a result of COVID-19.  The majority of the projects are at the early stages of development and much of the work required can be carried out virtually.   As the schemes move to the next stage of delivery, we will continue to monitor the impact and identify any risks to delivery.  

We are also looking at best practice ways of delivering public consultations and engagement activity to ensure all members of the community get the opportunity to have their say on TCF schemes during COVID-19.  

The full implications of COVID-19 on the region, the economy and the transport system are still to be understood and the impact on the Combined Authority’s programmes and schemes to date has been mixed. 

We are working closely with our local authority partners at every level of our appraisal process to ensure delivery timescales have taken into account the current issues and that each scheme is stress tested to ensure its ongoing viability. 

In the wake of COVID-19 it is more important than ever to assess the changes to the landscapes of our towns and cities, and the impact on current and future planned schemes, particularly, but not exclusively, those relating to transport. 

The impact of COVID-19 in relation to travel behaviour into and around towns and cities is assessed as part of each scheme’s appraisal. 

While public transport patronage is currently lower than pre COVID-19 levels, it remains a priority to invest in public transport infrastructure to both help with economic recovery and to have the required infrastructure in place to respond to an increase in demand post-COVID-19. 

A range of options are being developed as part of each business case to determine the best scheme, which will include a range of options up to the high-cost scenario.

As part of the devolution deal, the Combined Authority secured £317 million from the DfT’s TCF to deliver schemes in the low-cost scenario.

Since then, the Combined Authority has approved the use of future gain share funding, alongside other income streams, to deliver the high-cost scenario up to £140 million. 

It will build on the significant investment already made through the Combined Authority’s other programmes, such as the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, Connecting Leeds and CityConnect.

Many of the TCF schemes provide enhancements or extensions to the projects being delivered through these programmes, helping to spread the benefits across a wider geography.  

The programme is focused on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities.  This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality. 

For more information about the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund visit westyorks-ca.gov.uk/projects/west-yorkshire-plus-transport-fund 

For more information about Connecting Leeds visit leeds.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/connecting-leeds-and-transforming-travel 

For more information about CityConnect visit cyclecityconnect.co.uk 

Find out more information about the Transforming Cities Fund programme at westyorks-ca.gov.uk/TCF

Public consultation and engagement activities are taking place throughout 2021.  

Details of the TCF consultations can be found at www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk. You can get in touch with the Combined Authority’s Consultation and Engagement team via YourVoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk, 0113 245 7676 or Freepost CONSULTATION TEAM (WYCA).  Please note that, due to the COVID-19 crisis, the majority of the Combined Authority’s staff are working from home and there will therefore be significant delays in receiving any postal contributions. If you can, please contact the team using another method to ensure a quick response.

The bid was led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in partnership with the 10 local authorities across the Leeds City Region. It was developed in two stages, with a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) submitted to the DfT in June 2019. The final bid was submitted to the DfT in November 2019. The bid documents can be found at westyorks-ca.gov.uk/TCF

The bid was developed in partnership with local authorities across the Leeds City Region, including Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Selby, Wakefield and York. The bid was also co-developed with the DfT, which provided feedback on the plans as they emerged. In line with other Mayoral Combined Authorities, we are required to feedback on the progress of the programme’s delivery.  

The programme is focused on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities.  This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality. 

As part of the bidding process, the Combined Authority was asked to develop a series of schemes, which could be delivered under three different cost scenarios (low, core and high).   Each scheme needed to meet the Combined Authority’s priorities, as well as objectives set out by the DfT, such as reducing carbon emissions, and increasing capacity for commuters with better access to employment centres, especially from disadvantaged communities. 

Schemes put forward by local authorities were scored against the objectives before being reviewed as a programme.  Once agreement had been reached between local authority and Combined Authority officers, the programme was signed off by each of the leaders, as well as members of the Combined Authority’s Transport Committee.