City Centre Construction Update 13 September 2024
Welcome to the weekly e-newsletter for the Bradford City Centre Walking and Cycling Improvements Scheme.
This edition includes everything you need to know about the Bradford City Centre Walking and Cycling Improvements Scheme for the coming days. We upload each weekly newsletter to the Future Bradford website. You can find copies of each e-newsletter on our news page if you would like to look back at previous editions.
Open areas in the city centre
As shared in previous newsletters, we have been gradually re-opening more areas of the city centre where paving works have been completed.
At Bank Street, the entirety of the road is now fully accessible to pedestrians at both ends. Both sides of Broadway are also opening up to pedestrians, creating a large open space where it interacts with Bank Street.
The northern end of Market Street. from The Broadway Shopping Centre entrance to the Bank Street junction is now mostly open to pedestrians. Large sections of fencing has been removed, with only a small amount of future work due to take place in this area to install street furniture and carry out planting work.
In the next few weeks, the southern end of Market Street is expected to be fully opened to pedestrians as paving works and the removal of fencing progresses.
You can view a marked-up map of the spaces that have been opened to pedestrians, as well as the temporary crossings, by scrolling to the Temporary pedestrian crossings section of this newsletter.
Other city centre progress
Good progress continues to be made with the paving and planter works across key areas of the city centre. On Broadway, the steps for the raised planter unit has been installed on the north end this week - seating and trees will be added to this feature once completed.
Paving works on Bridge Street are continuing, and fencing will gradually be removed from this area in the coming weeks, opening it up to pedestrians.
Once the works are completed, the new public spaces will create an improved and more accessible experience for pedestrians, as well as a more vibrant city centre environment that attracts investment and is easier to get around.
Two images showing city centre progress. From top to bottom: The first image shows a raised planter unit on Broadway, where steps have been installed on the northern end (facing The Broadway Shopping Centre). The unit forms part of a planned new open space in this area. The second image shows new paving and a wall for new planter units, where soil will be placed, on Bridge Street - directly in front of Centenary Square.
Update on Bradford Interchange bus station
It was announced by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority this week that plans are being drawn up to reopen the bus station at Bradford Interchange, following it's closure in January 2024 due to safety concerns.
A report published by the Combined Authority ahead of their meeting next week, has revealed that it can reopen, but that appropriate safety measures need to be put in place first, as well as additional checks to make sure it’s safe for services to resume after months of being out of operation.
As of 11 September 2024, the Combined Authority is working at pace on plans to bring the bus station back into operation by January 2025.
You can read the Combined Authority's latest update on the closure of the Bradford Interchange Bus Station on the Combined Authority website.
Information about alternative bus stops for services unable to use the Interchange Bus Station can be found on the Metro website.
Reminder: Temporary pedestrian crossings
Temporary pedestrian crossings have been opened across the city centre in places where works are happening.
Please note that the pedestrian route on the south side of Hall Ings is still temporarily diverted to the north side of Hall Ings to allow work on the new footway to continue between the junctions with Vicar Lane and Drake Street.
We have included a map of the pedestrian crossing points in the core of the city centre below.
Please note that starting from this week, some changes have been made to crossing points along Bridge Street. These crossings have been moved to the Market Street and Broadway junctions, with one of the previous three crossing points removed at the Hall Ings junction. This is necessary to provide access to construction work in this area.
Map showing the pedestrian crossing points in Bradford city centre. Crossings are in place at the following locations. Market Street, at the junctions with Charles Street - Bank Street and Bridge Street - On Hall Ings at the junction with Bank Street - Bridge Street at the junction with Broadway.
Reminder: Changes to the permitted service and residential vehicles route
The route into the core of the city centre for permitted service and residential vehicles has seen a slight change. The new route, which came into effect Tuesday 3 September, has seen the entry point moved from Bridge Street to Bank Street via Leeds Road and Hall Ings.
Permitted service and residential vehicles have access to the core during the permitted hours of before 10:30am and after 4:30pm via the one-way system, entering via gate B (from Leeds Road) and exiting via gate A (towards Cheapside). This route is shown via the green line on the below map.
Construction traffic have continual access to the core and are able to enter the core from all access gates.
We would like to remind road users that the access route is currently operating a 7.5 tonne weight restriction for vehicles.
See below for a map that shows the new route.
Map showing the new route that permitted service and residential vehicles must follow to access the city centre core between permitted hours, which is any time before 10:30am and any time after 4:30pm each day.
Reminder: Bridge Street Taxi ranks
Due to works happening in front of the main entrance to Bradford Interchange, the taxi ranks have been relocated to Drake Street and behind the Great Victoria Hotel.
There is temporary signage in place to direct people to the new ranks from their previous location.
If you have any questions about getting around the city centre, please do contact us via email at info@future-bradford.co.uk, or by calling our freephone information line at 0808 196 9119.
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Traffic management outside the core of the city centre has been and will continue to be removed where possible, as work has begun within the very core of the city centre. See below for a detailed summary of the latest updates about the works taking place around the city centre. If you would like to view any maps relating to where work is taking place, please click here.
Please do get in touch with us via our email address (info@future-bradford.co.uk) if you have any questions about the works taking place throughout the city centre.
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On Sunbridge Road, city centre scheme works are complete. Cycle Superhighway works are still taking place in this area. This work has provided wider footpaths and introduced cycle lanes. New bus shelters have also been put in place for bus routes travelling out of the city centre.
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What: Works are continuing on the new central reservation on Godwin Street between Thornton Road and Jacobs Well.
Traffic management: Little Horton Lane is closed to all traffic at its junction with Godwin Street. Traffic travelling in either direction on Godwin Street is not permitted to use the new pedestrian super crossing to make a U-turn.
Why: This change will provide more space for bus stops and routes into the city and an additional bus lane on Godwin Street.
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What: At Jacobs Well, works are continuing within and around the former roundabout.
Traffic management: There will continue to be lane closures and traffic management around Jacobs Well.
Why: This work has seen Jacobs Well roundabout become a super crossing.
Click here for more details on Jacobs Well, Prince’s Way and City Park.
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What: Work is mostly complete on Croft Street and Senior Way and the new lanes are open to traffic. Works to install the new cycleway and central reserve are nearing completion on Manchester Road.
Traffic management: Lane closures will continue on Manchester Road northbound from Croft Street to Jacobs Well.
Why: The works here are to create an additional lane on the gyratory section of Croft Street in each direction and a new cycleway on Manchester Road.
Click here for more details on Senior Way, Croft Street and Manchester Road.
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What: We are nearing completion of works on both sides of Lower Kirkgate, to construct a new cycleway and footway.
Traffic management: Traffic management has been installed with two-way traffic lights on the section of Lower Kirkgate between the Midland Hotel and the junction with Cheapside, Market Street, and Kirkgate. Market Street is now closed to traffic at its junction with Kirkgate/Lower Kirkgate/Cheapside.
There is a temporary signal-controlled pedestrian crossing point in place at the junction of Kirkgate/Lower Kirkgate/Cheapside/Market Street. This is in place to ensure that pedestrians have a safe place to cross the road. Safe pedestrian routes away from the main road and works happening in this area are also in place. Signs are in place to help direct pedestrians along this route to avoid traffic on the main road.
Why: The works here are to widen the junction to Canal Road, to allow for improved cycle lane provision, and build a new bus shelter.
This work will also create a new crossing link into the city centre at Cheapside.
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What: The installation of new drainage, kerbs and new carriageway, cycleway and footways will continue on Hall Ings.
Traffic management: Well Street and the section of Vicar Lane between Great Cross Street and Hall Ings is only open to buses and authorised traffic and the new Cyclops junction at Well Street/Vicar Lane/Hall Ings/Leeds Road is now operational. Hall Ings will continue to be reduced to one lane of traffic westbound between the junction with George Street and the junction with Drake Street.
Why: The work on Well Street will re-open the road as a bus route, the work on Vicar Lane, allowing for, allowing for the reconnection of Vicar Lane to Hall Ings, with a new ‘CYCLOPS’ junction being introduced.
If you would like more information about what is happening across the city centre, including maps showing how the city is being transformed, please visit the FutureBradford website.
Find out more
You can find out more about the scheme on the Future Bradford website or by getting in touch using the details and links below.
Get in touch if you would like to ask any questions
Email: info@future-bradford.co.uk
Write: Freepost BFD Highways
X (formerly Twitter): @bmdcHighways
Instagram: bradfordhighways
Facebook: Bradford Council Highways
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