Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority will soon be asking for feedback on plans for a bridge over the A629 connecting the towns of Steeton and Silsden.
The Steeton and Silsden Walking and Cycling Improvements Scheme aims make it easier for people to walk and cycle between the two towns, by providing a safer way to cross the busy A629 dual carriageway.
The council and the Combined Authority will be asking for feedback on the next steps of the bridge project early in the new year.
The project has been under development for a number of years with the latest round of consultation taking place in 2020, when a bridge was selected as the preferred option.
Since this consultation new requirements were introduced by the Government, meaning that in order to secure the funding for the bridge, the whole scheme had to be reviewed.
The outcome of this review highlighted that some key elements of the design had to be modified to make it more accessible for users. The modifications required by the review, included more user friendly gradient on the approaches to the bridge, the inclusion of resting points and increased width of the bridge to enable adequate separation of pedestrians and cyclists.
Further surveys and in-depth ground condition investigations have also now been undertaken which had led to a revision in the design of the foundations to accommodate the new bridge design.
An Outline Business Case and an agreement for a further £2.7million for project development has been approved by the Combined Authority this concludes this stage of the assurance process, and the first phase of the scheme can now move forward.
Phase 1 aims to deliver a new pedestrian and cycle bridge which complies with the latest guidance on accessibility and a new pedestrian and cycle crossing on Station Road.
There will also be over 280 meters of segregated walking and cycling route and over 130m of shared walking and cycling route created to improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists when accessing the new bridge.
There will be the opportunity for people to find out more about the project at two drop-in sessions or via a webinar, and also give feedback via an online or paper survey. Details will be shared in the new year.
The feedback will be used to further shape and refine the scheme before the planning application and full business case are submitted.
Following the engagement, a full planning application for the bridge will be submitted in Spring 2025. The Project Team will be seeking to appoint a construction contractor to work with the design team to prepare the final full business case application for Phase 1 for the Combined Authority’s approval in early 2026, with the bridge expected to be open for use by Spring 2027.
Opportunities for further improvements have also been identified to enhance the pedestrian and cycle provision within both Steeton and Silsden beyond the A629 roundabout. This will form Phase 2 of the scheme, and a further business case would be needed.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport said:
“We know how important a safe crossing here is for local residents and I’m pleased we’re now able to come forward with a preferred scheme.
"We understand the frustration felt by residents with the time that it has taken to get to this stage, but the design for the bridge had to undergo a complete review to comply with guidelines. We want people to provide their feedback before the planning application as well as the full business case are submitted. These projects do take time but we’re confident the results will be worth it.”
This scheme, subject to the development of a successful business case, will be funded from City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) Fund. The £830,000,000 CRSTS fund was awarded to the Combined Authority on 1 April 2022 and was made possible due to the devolution arrangements upon becoming a Mayoral Combined Authority in May 2021.
Information about the plans for the Steeton and Silsden Walking and Cycling Improvement Scheme will be available on the Your Voice website once the engagement goes live in early 2025. You can register on the website to stay informed and ensure you don’t miss the chance to have your say: https://www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/
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