Transport bosses have been asked whether the proposed pedestrian bridge across the A629, expected to cost almost £13m, was going to be “gold plated.”
The tongue-in-cheek remark was made in response to the rising costs of the proposed Steeton and Silsden footbridge – a scheme first proposed years ago but one that has seen little progress.
On Thursday members of West Yorkshire Combined Authority voted to approve funding to allow a business case for the scheme to be developed – finally moving the long-stalled project forward.
There have been calls for a safe pedestrian crossing over the busy A629, a 70mph road that divides Steeton and Silsden, for years.
The latest plans are for a pedestrian and cycle footbridge over the road, as well as measures including pedestrian crossing on neighbouring roads and new paths and cycle routes between the neighbouring villages.
The total cost of the scheme has reached £24m – deemed too high to be funded in one go. Instead the scheme will be split into two phases. Phase 1 will include a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the A629, a “toucan” crossing at the A6034 and pedestrian and cycle paths. It is expected to cost £12,920,060.
Funding will come from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement – Government cash awarded to West Yorkshire as part of the area’s devolution deal.
Phase 2, which will include an additional one and a half miles of pedestrian and cycle paths and more road crossings, will not be delivered until more funding is made available. That unfunded phase will cost a further £11m.
At Thursday’s meeting Councillor Alan Lamb (Cons, Wetherby) referred to the high cost of the scheme, saying:
“The project for Steeton and Silsden is very welcomed. But can I ask, is the bridge now being gold plated?”
Simon Warburton, Executive Director for Transport, said:
“I’ve had Conversations with (Worth Valley) Councillor Rebecca Poulsen who has raised, quite rightly, challenges around these costs.
“It will be a fully accessible pedestrian bridge over a significant piece of highway. We’ve worked through the costs to make savings, and we’re satisfied that the costs being proposed are consistent with equivalent schemes across the country.”
He pointed out that the budget for the project included £3.5m set aside for “risk prevention” that may not be needed.
Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said the recent devolution deal for West Yorkshire meant schemes like this were now being delivered by the Combined Authority instead of Government departments. She said:
“We’re not used to seeing plans for new bridges coming here. The costs are in line with other similar bridges across the country.
“It will connect two communities close by but severed by this busy road. Steeton and Silsden deserve this funding.”
In a joint statement after the meeting, Craven Ward’s Green Party councillors said:
“Residents in Steeton and Silsden have been waiting far too long for a safer crossing over the A629:
“The Aire Valley Road is a busy, fast dual carriageway and it’s an incredibly dangerous road to cross, but many people have to do this every day.
“We will be monitoring the next stages of this long drawn-out saga to make sure the project moves forward quickly and that commitments are met. This has to include making sure that residents are properly consulted on the design so the end result works best for the local communities.”
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