Calderdale Reform are being pushed to reveal more about the change they want to make to a major overhaul of Halifax town centre’s roads.

The party announced on its Facebook page earlier this month that it had modified the revamp work, which is currently underway at the bottom of the town centre.

It posted: “We have amended the plans for the works at the bottom of Halifax town centre, meaning the road between the Imperial Crown Hotel and the Woolshops Car Park will no longer be closed as previously planned.”

Since then, Halifax Town Ward councillors – all Reform – have posted on their Facebook page that the plan is to keep Charles Street – which was to see a bus gate introduced – kept open to all traffic.

An artist's impression of how the new area outside Square Chapel will look

placeholder image — An artist's impression of how the new area outside Square Chapel will look

But no official Calderdale Council communication about the change has been made, and the Calderdale Next Chapter website – which lists all the plans – still says: “We’re adding a bus gate to limit access to buses, cycles, taxis and motorcycles only along a section of Charles Street between Square Road and King Street.

"Access to Woolshops Car Park will be maintained. The exit from Woolshops car park on Hatters Fold will be right turn only onto Square Road.”

The Courier asked earlier this month for clarification about the change to the scheme but is yet to receive an answer.

At a meeting of full council last week, Coun Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) wanted to know what conversations had been had with project funder - West Yorkshire Combined Authority – about proposed changes.

Work is ongoing at the bottom end of Halifax town centre

Former councillor Kelly Thornham had also raised the issue at this month’s cabinet meeting, querying how the cabinet could justify changing a publicly-funded scheme of this scale without publishing to precise proposal and impacts including possible contract variation costs.

At the full council meeting, Coun Wilkinson also asked whether it would have been more transparent to announce changes through the council’s own social media rather than on a party page.

Council leader Coun Daniel Sutherland (Reform UK, Illingworth and Mixenden) replied: “The message you had from the public loud and clear was that the first phase was an absolute disaster.

“It was delayed, businesses closed, and as a result traffic flows through there much worse than it did before.

“So it’s quite right we’re looking at the bottom end of town to make sure that scheme works.

“In terms of how we communicate that, we will get the word out.”

Schemes funded by from West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) are delivered within an agreed tolerance framework, which allows for certain changes to be made during the implementation stage of a project.

The Courier understands WYCA is aware of a proposed change from Calderdale Council in relation to the Halifax town centre scheme and is currently reviewing the change against the tolerance framework.

Work on a huge traffic overhaul which will transform how people travel around Halifax town centre began in 2024 and has been ongoing ever since.

The current phase of work, at the bottom of the town centre, started in April and is due to be completed in Autumn 2027.

The project aims to make it easier to move around the town centre and also improve the public realm to encourage people to spend longer in Halifax – and spend more money there.

But many traders have complained about the work hitting footfall, leaving them struggling while the work is carried out.