Clr Martyn Bolt thinks people don’t know what they are being consulted on…
A public consultation exercise on the proposed £69m Cooper Bridge relief road has been described as a waste of money.
Critics say the three options put forward for the scheme by Kirklees Council lack detail and leave key questions unanswered.
And as the consultation period winds down to its end date on January 18 there have been calls for a fresh look at what the project entails for commuters, residents and motorists.
Transport chiefs and planners say the “ambitious and transformational” project will involve the creation of a new relief road and viaduct for the area.
The scheme in total will provide 1.5km of new road and changes to 2.5km of current highway.
It aims to reduce traffic on both the A62 Leeds Road and the A644 Wakefield Road serving Huddersfield and Brighouse, cut journey times and improve air quality.
But the plan, to begin construction in 2021, will involve the purchase and demolition of some homes as well as buying up surrounding “virgin” land.
Around 50 landowners – including householders and businesses – have been contacted by letter.
The massive scheme is being championed by senior Labour councillor Peter McBride (Dalton).
But commenting on what he felt was the paucity of detail being offered to the public, the Conservatives’ Clr Martyn Bolt (Mirfield) said people were not able to comment on detail they did not have before them, such as traffic flow data.
“When people ask how much difference the relief road will make to their journey times they aren’t being given an answer because the modelling hasn’t been completed.
“There is no information on the difference between how long it will take someone to make a journey now and how long it will take them after the council has spent £69m on the new road.
“On that basis the consultation is a waste of money.
“How can the public meaningfully comment on three options when how long it takes to get from A to B isn’t present?
“The council is asking people without giving them information. They’re asking the public to trust them.”
Kirklees Council’s consultation exercise, which began last month, ends next week. It is understood that the authority will wait until the end of consultation and review before going ahead with public comment.
A spokesman said: “The council is keen to hear all views and will review these at the end of the consultation process on 18 January.”
The four-phase programme, featuring three versions of the scheme, went out for community engagement in December. It is scheduled for completion in 2023.
The route of the new link begins at Colne Bridge Road and will cross Bradley Road close to the White Cross Inn.
It will lead to a new roundabout near to Bradley Park landfill site, which will then join the A644 Wakefield Road by means of a 450m-long viaduct traversing the railway, the Calder and Hebble Canal, and the River Calder.
The new roundabout will also assist traffic in and out of the proposed housing plan earmarked for Bradley Park golf course.
It will help enable the initial part of the site: around 750 homes.
Further improvements include widening Wakefield Road between junction 25 of the M62 and the Cooper Bridge roundabout.
Planners are putting forward three options including a “big build” involving a dual carriageway to the M62.
This article originally appeared on ExaminerLive
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