Residents and businesses are being invited to have their say on the latest plans for the proposed new rail station and accompanying access improvements in Elland.
Comments can now be submitted online about the planned new rail station in Elland, funded through the Combined Authority’s West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund.
The planned station would support existing local businesses and attract new ones, generating economic growth and jobs for Elland. It would be located on the existing Calder Valley route (Leeds – Huddersfield Line) to the west of Lowfields Way and adjacent to the A629, Calderdale Way.
Alongside the station development, a series of accompanying improvements known as the ‘Access Package’ are also planned, to enhance walking and cycling access to the new station from across the town and the wider area.
Initial consultation on proposals took place in June 2018 and showed overwhelming support for the project, with 94% of those responding stating that they were happy or very happy with the plans. The feedback from this exercise was used to inform further proposals which were approved by West Yorkshire Combined Authority in March last year, with further approvals from Network Rail in May 2019.
Further consultation is now taking place to ensure the latest plans meet the needs of local communities. Feedback from this exercise will be used to inform further development before the planning application for the project is submitted – provisionally planned for autumn 2020.
The latest proposals and engagement survey is available at https://www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/elland2020(external link). The survey will close at midnight on Sunday 16 August 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, it isn’t possible to hold any public drop-in sessions for this engagement. However, if anyone would like to discuss proposals further before submitting feedback, the project team can be contacted at yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk or on 0113 245 7676. This contact should also be used if the information is required in an alternative format e.g. braille.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Resources, Cllr Jane Scullion, said:
“The planned new station and access improvements are part of an exciting future for the town, complementing other improvement projects like the exciting proposals as part of the Future High Streets fund and Phase 4 of the A629 programme.
“Initial feedback to the plans was incredibly positive and as we move forward to the next stage of approvals we want to hear people’s thoughts again to ensure the latest plans continue to meet people’s needs.
“This project would transform Elland town centre, bringing huge potential benefits to local residents, businesses and the wider Calderdale community.”
Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, said:
“We are pleased to be working with partners Calderdale Council on this major investment in sustainable transport, which will significantly improve Elland’s connections to the public transport network and improvements for people travelling by bike or on foot.
“Our plans for a new rail station for Elland through investment from the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund will be at the heart of the huge benefits this masterplan can deliver for the town and I would urge people to make sure they have their say online.”
This project has received funding through the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, and the Leeds City Region Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of Government investment through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), delivered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.
Elland Rail Station is part of the Next Chapter to enable economic growth, reduce inequalities and build a sustainable future. For more information about this and other exciting developments in Calderdale, visit www.calderdalenextchapter.co.uk(external link) and follow #CdaleNextChapter on Twitter.
The Next Chapter helps to form the Vision2024 for Calderdale. In the year 2024, Calderdale will celebrate its 50th birthday. Where do we want to be by 2024? Get involved in the conversation using #VisionCdale2024 on Twitter, by following Calderdale Council on Facebook and by visiting www.calderdale.gov.uk/vision(external link)
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