Fear Calderdale housing scheme will see roads overwhelmed with traffic

Drivers avoiding traffic calming measures in place around part of Mixenden, Halifax, particularly on the main A629 Keighley Road have been an issue for years, say residents of Jumples Crag.

And they fear that when a 98-home development at Hays Lane, which is within the same mile and half area, is completed more drivers will be encouraged to do the same.

Residents are now lobbying Calderdale Council to put in measures which they say are more suitable to alleviate concerns, their preferred choice being making the road access only.

Clare Simeunovich, one of the residents, said part of the issue at Jumples Crag, homes which were built pre 1787, is that the road is not wide enough for two cars to pass and in parts it has no pavement for pedestrians.

Previous measures, including “pinch points” installed in 2014, have been put in place in the past acknowledging problems but have just led to traffic queues.

Residents say they have been told road humps to slow traffic are a possibility but they believe the noise from these would be horrendous.

They argue that as a 2016 police survey reported counted 147 vehicles in one direction in just an hour and a half it is reasonable to assume almost 300 in both directions and they fear if each of the 98 homes has two cars a potential addition of almost another 200 is possible on top of that.

Clare has also raised the issue with councillors and Halifax MP Holly Lynch.

“Possibly 200 plus vehicles added to this road, is unsustainable.

“Even with speed humps this is the most enticing route.

“Agreeing to bumps might slow the added numbers, but the road cannot cope with the volume at present.

“There needs to be a plan to stop the road being overwhelmed – as you can see pedestrians have no space to stand in traffic let alone walk.

“The most sensible thing to do would be to make it access only.

“Ideally we want traffic diverting, the road needs to be less desirable to travel on than Keighley Road,” she said.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member for Regeneration and Resources, Coun Jane Scullion, said discussions with local residents about the road layout at Jumples Crag, Mixenden, have been taking place for some time and have involved both the council and West Yorkshire Police.

“We’ve continued to listen to residents’ concerns about the volume of traffic using the route and following a specific request, a pinch point was introduced some years ago.

“For safety reasons the length of this narrowing is determined by vehicle sight-lines and despite occasional issues with wider vehicles, the give-way point is wide enough for two vehicles to pass.

“Further requests have been received for traffic calming measures on the road, and the council has offered to install a series of speed humps and cushions and also to investigate the provision of pedestrian facilities by providing access to an adjacent foot way.

“If this is no longer residents’ preferable option we can investigate the viability of alternative measures,” she said.

Coun Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said that as with all proposed developments, a thorough highways assessment took place before permissions were granted for the Hay Lane housing development.

“This found that the likely peak-time traffic generated by the homes would be less than the site’s former use as an employment area and would therefore have minimal impact on existing routes.

“We’ll continue to review the situation and as always, we urge people to drive carefully to help keep Calderdale safe, taking into account other drivers, pedestrians, the conditions and speed limits,” she said.