Local setbacks see plans to swap parking spaces for bike lane, but the council insists that “many years of concerns about road safety and overload” will still be treated

A council has officially scrapped its plans to swap parking spaces next to a busy A-road for new walking and cycling infrastructure, the local authority that said it had “listened to local people” and that the decision balances ” The need for parking in the city “with” long -term concerns about road safety and overload “.

Calderdale Council has outlined its transport plans for West Yorkshire Town of Hebden Bridge, which it claims will “help make it safer and healthier for people to come to town and support local businesses”, confirming that new cycling infrastructure was dropped from from The proposals and the parking lot are stored on A646 outside the city.

Recorridor Recovery Program (CIP) of 5 million pounds (CIP) comes in partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority, with the specified goal of “improving road safety, travel times, air quality, opportunities to walk, wheels and cycling and access to jobs and homes on the busy A646 / A6033 route from the Todsmord to Skircoat Moor in Halifax “.

“The program also aims to tackle the concerns that residents and businesses have traveled about road safety and traffic congestion in the Hebden Bridge, while also taking into account that those who need to use a car must be able to find A place to park, ”Calderdale Council suggests.

In October, but a proposal that was on wait that would have seen parking on the route scrap between Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd, an extended eastbound part of shared use was set up and a westbound cycling lane also installed on the road.

Now these plans have officially been dropped, where the council instead chooses to introduce double yellow lines in a narrower section and opposite the westbound bus stops. Parking elsewhere will be “formalized”, which means that taxes will be introduced.

(Current parking space at A646 outside the Hebden Bridge, Google Maps)

“This will help control parking in the area, improve security because the bays are created to give drivers more space to get in and out of space and encourage parking for long stay, which facilitates the city center to support parking in Short stay, ”the council added.

A formal consultation must follow, but the council says the decision has been made as a result of the local authority having “listened to local people”. The original plans to ditch parking for active travel infrastructure “triggered screams” according to Halifax CourierA petition signed by more than 1,000 people expressing concern about the impact of local businesses.

Cllr Sarah Courtney, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, said: “Our priority for flourishing cities means we are committed to creating places where people will live, work, do business and visit. We know how much hebden bridge is appreciated as visitor destination and we do everything we can to make it safe, easy, healthy and sustainable for people to get there and support the big local businesses.

“We have listened to what people have told us about suggestions for improving corridor improvements in Hebden Bridge, the need for parking in the city and many years of concerns about road safety, overloading and reliability of public transport.

“Our way forward to Fallingroyd, along with the other improvements, will help tackle these problems and support people to travel to Hebden Bridge in the way they want, with the opportunity to leave the car at home and travel actively if they choose . ”

In the fall, just before Calderdale Council set plans for bicycle infrastructure, BBC Heard from local dealers who were concerned about the effect of losing parking.

Scott borrower who drives the fully screwed hardware store on Market Street said, “Companies are concerned. There is a good amount of shop owners who are worried that they can go down. They plan to do it so people can go, which is great – but people still need to get there.

“If you buy a piece of art or furniture, you won’t run it home on a train or bike.”

At the time, Cllr Courtney said the geography of the area (namely the “narrow valley”, where the Hebden Bridge is located), made it a “complex task” to balance the “different factors”.

Five miles to the east, in the Todsmord, we have also heard complaints about proposed active travel arrangements, especially in September, when the residents “furious about having to walk an extra a few meters from their car” was accused of “trying to stoke fear and opposition” towards a larger cycle track project.