Streets to be transformed around these Calderdale schools to improve safety

PCalderdale Council is planning to reduce traffic and build a safe, healthy and attractive environment for people of all ages to walk, cycle, rest and play in the streets around Ash Green Community Primary School in Mixenden, and Ling Bob J, I & N School and Christ Church Primary School in Pellon.

The work is being delivered by Calderdale Council with funding from West Yorkshire Combined Authority through the Department for Transport’s Active Travel Fund.

Councillor Scott Patient, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Resilience, said: “As part of our ‘Next Chapter’ for Calderdale, which is seeing unprecedented investment to transform the borough through major projects, we’re planning a range of improvements to streets around schools to benefit the whole community.

“We want to encourage active lifestyles, tackle climate change and make our streets more pleasant places to spend time.

“Fewer vehicles around schools would mean safer streets, reduced emissions, better air quality and more opportunities for walking, cycling, scooting and playing outside, with benefits for local people’s health and wellbeing and the environment. Other improvements, such as more green spaces, would help to create places to rest and interact with each other and build a stronger sense of community, as well as more attractive places and greater biodiversity.

“We would like to hear your thoughts on the proposals. Your responses are really important in helping to shape the designs.”

The active travel neighbourhood proposals around Ash Green, Ling Bob and Christ Church schools include:

Raised crossings and wider pavements to help slow down traffic and create more space for walking, cycling and other forms of active travel.

New and improved green spaces, ‘rain garden’ verges to provide sustainable and natural drainage, and more trees along streets for natural shade and shelter, a more attractive walking and cycling route, and to help tackle the climate emergency through carbon reduction.

Improved play areas.

At Ash Green, certain roads outside school would be closed to cars at drop-off and pick-up times to improve safety, air quality and opportunities for active travel.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Making it easier and safer for young people to cycle and walk for journeys to school and other places, will play a vital role in my commitment to make transport work for communities and tackle the climate emergency on our way to becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038.

“That is why I am delighted to see this exciting new project in Halifax progress, so local school children and families can really benefit from safer streets and attractive green spaces, demonstrating just one of the many ways we are committed to tackling climate change.”

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