Next phase of improvements to end A629 traffic misery

The scheme, which will be funded by the West Yorkshire Plus Transport fund, will cost almost £19m and is part of the wider £150m funding for Calderdale being delivered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Work on the first part of the scheme to ease congestion on Huddersfield Road between Jubilee Road and the junction with Free School Lane, Halifax, worth up to £4.5 million is to begin in the autumn.

The next phase will deliver improvements on the A629 gateway to town targeting the Calder & Hebble junction.

Proposals being put forward are the removal of the of the existing link between the A629 and the current mini roundabout at Stainland Road/Wakefield Road
• Removal of the current A629 signal controlled junction at A6026/A629 Elland Wood Bottom;

• A new highway link between the A629 and Stainland Road located across the of land north of the River Calder;

• Widening of two traffic lanes northbound on the A629 to continue the existing two lane provision northbound on the A629 though to Calder & Hebble junction.

Project manager Richard Binks from Calderdale Council said in the report that went before the WYCA: “Of the six Calderdale lead phases under the A629 strategy holds the key to unlocking constrained investment opportunities in Halifax.

“It also supports the ‘Calderdale Local Plan’ aspirations to deliver over 5000 new homes in the Halifax area together with over 60,000m2 of employment floor space.

“The Phase concentrates upon Calder and Hebble junction, an interchange which significantly delays its daily regular users whether seeking to reach their place of employment or transferring goods to the market place regionally and nationally.

“The interchange is the convergence point of the A629 / A6026 Wakefield Road and the B6112 Stainland Road in an unusual triangular layout featuring at respective vertexes a signal junction, mini roundabout and priority give way.

“Over 40,000 vehicles per day with 4,500 per hour descending upon the junction in the peak periods. Congestion is extensive highlighted by a A629 Northbound queue reaching one mile in length taking on average 12 to 15 minutes to pass through during peaks.

“The historical layout of a dual carriageway forming into a single lane approach 400m prior to the signal junction simply cannot cope with volume of traffic defeating the signal situation point.”

“The chosen outline design introduces a new highway link, approximately 400m in length across the adjacent canal to west and green field site joining Stainland Road at a new principal roundabout.

“The existing signal junction and slip road plus Wakefield Road mini roundabout would be extinguished and replaced by a two multi lane approach signal junction on the A629 at the intersection of new link road and convergence point of Stainland Road.”

Narrow strips of land to the east of A629 including the bridge over the Calder and Hebble navigation and at New Bank Garden Centre is required to widen the highway.

Plans for the £41m regeneration of Halifax town centre were revealed last week which is also being funded by the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund.