Calderdale ward earmarked as 'mini Holland' to become low car site

An area of Calderdale is set to become a “mini Holland” – taking their cue from a project in London.
Park ward in CalderdalePark ward in Calderdale
Park ward in Calderdale

The Park Ward of Calderdale has been earmarked as a places that could benefit from £1m of work to create “low-car neighbourhoods”.

At a meeting of the Authority’s Transport Committee on Friday members will hear how a similar scheme has transformed parts of a London borough into a “mini-Holland.”

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Councillor Clyde Loakes, Deputy Leader of Waltham Forest Council, will speak about how his council has encouraged people to use cars less and walk, cycle and use public transport more.

Holland is famous for its focus on cycling, and the mini-Holland schemes in London were an attempt to replicate this.

Schemes included new cycle and pedestrian routes and reduction in through traffic on certain streets.

Research showed that within a year of the scheme being introduced, residents were 24 per cent more likely to have done any cycling in the previous week compared with those in non mini-Holland boroughs.

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Although that scheme was much larger – £30m was granted to the authority by the government to transform the area by 2021 – Yorkshire councillors will be given ideas of how it could be replicated.

The projects will be delivered by local councils, the Combined Authority, Public Health England and local public health teams.

Friday’s meeting will be told that the scheme is now called ‘‘Streets for People’’ after a private consultancy firm trademarked the phrase Healthy Streets.

The report says possible projects could include “creating improved green space and public realm – replacing a car park with an events square and area for pop up market, lawns and terraced gardens.”

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Other aims include: “Reducing road traffic accidents, noise and air pollution, improving accessibility, seating and shelter, and improved pedestrian links to the wider town centre, rail station, local amenities and schools.”