Calderdale Council is doing all it can to minimise disruption associated with a programme of essential works taking place on the A646, Burnley Road, near Hebden Bridge and sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused by these works on Friday 12 May.
As part of the wider A646 Corridor Improvement Programme, work started on Friday 12 May to improve safety on this busy road, with work taking place between Stubbing Holme Road and the junction with Heptonstall Road. This involves the widening of footways and improvements to Heptonstall Junction.
To carry out this work safely, it is necessary for temporary traffic lights to be in place. Whilst some level of disruption is unavoidable, the Council is doing all it can to carry out the work as quickly as possible and minimise the impact on traffic in the area.
Work is taking place seven days a week, and the traffic lights will be manned between 7am and 7pm every day, allowing the lights to be altered to respond to traffic conditions at different times of the day.
We are aware that Friday 12 May was a particularly challenging day for commuters, as unplanned utility works in the area caused further problems with traffic and the train strike further exacerbated the issues.
In response to the congestion on Friday, extra staff have been on site over the weekend and will remain in place throughout this week, to help manage the flow of traffic. Priority is also being given to school buses, in recognition that some students will be taking exams at this time.
Parking in the area has also been coned off to help flow through the temporary traffic lights. The Council asks that people leave these cones in place and that motorists drive with consideration for others and respect the rules which are in place for everyone’s safety.
The progression of works will allow the traffic management to be simplified in the coming days, which will further minimise the associated disruption in this area. We will also continue to proactively monitor the situation and respond accordingly.
The current work is expected to take around two to three weeks to complete. Further works are scheduled around Hebden Bridge in June, with the Environment Agency digging trial holes to inform final designs for flood alleviation scheme. Further details around the requirement of these works will be confirmed as the current scheme progresses, but it’s anticipated this may take around five weeks to complete. Throughout the works, everything will continue to be done to minimise disruption as much as possible.
The resurfacing of Market Street is also a priority for the Council and the current work has been scheduled to enable these works to be carried out in quick succession in early July. However, the resurfacing work will take place at night and there will be no traffic management during the day.
Once complete, the works will make the area safer for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, and will combine with other planned improvements to make traffic flow better in the long term and support Environment Agency work to boost flood resilience in the town.
Calderdale Council’s Assistant Director for Strategic Infrastructure, Adrian Gill, said:
“We understand the frustration caused by road works and we apologise for the high level of disruption caused by these works on Friday 12 May. Despite thorough planning, unfortunately unavoidable issues combined to cause particular problems. We’ve since deployed extra staff to the works, to monitor queues and keep traffic moving as quickly as possible.
“While some amount of delay associated with this work is unavoidable, we do not anticipate seeing disruption like that experienced on Friday under normal conditions. As work progresses the traffic management required will also reduce, improving traffic flow. However, we will continue to monitor the situation carefully and take further action if required.
“The work has been scheduled at this time to prevent further disruption with other essential works in the area. They are part of wider infrastructure improvements along this busy road which will bring long-term benefits for all users.”
ENDS