Town centres getting ready to re-open
Work to make Dewsbury and Huddersfield town centres safer places to shop, walk and cycle will begin on Sunday.
We’re making changes to the main shopping streets in the town centres to provide extra space for social distancing and to support people to travel safely on foot or by bike.
The changes which draw on funding from the government’s Active Travel Fund have been made quickly, in response to the national guidance that town centre shops can re-open from 15 June. The temporary closures will be regularly reviewed in response to feedback and tweaked as appropriate. Anyone who would like to share their thoughts on the changes can email: business.enquiries@kirklees.gov.uk
The following road changes in Huddersfield will come into force on Monday 15 June:
| Street | Restriction |
| Market Place | closed to all traffic except cycles between 10am and 4pm
(deliveries to be made before 10am and after 4pm) |
| John William Street | no parking (taxis and disabled parking only)
Road narrowed to a single lane |
| Cloth Hall Street
|
no parking (loading and blue badge parking only) |
| Church Street
|
closed to all traffic except cycles between 10am and 4pm (deliveries to be made before 10am and after 4pm) |
| Wood Street
|
closed to all traffic except cycles between 10am and 4pm (deliveries to be made before 10am and after 4pm) |
| Byram Street
|
closed to all traffic except cycles between 10am and 4pm (deliveries to be made before 10am and after 4pm) |
Plans for other streets in Huddersfield and Dewsbury are being worked up and will be announced soon, as part of a range of support measures being planned to help with the recovery.
In addition to the road changes, we’ve also begun marking up areas of the town to help with social distancing. Officers are also working with businesses to make sure they understand the relevant legislation around re-opening. Information on who to contact for advice is available on our website
In another bid to boost the recovery process, we announced earlier this week that parking would be free in all our car parks and spaces. It is hoped that this will attract more people into the town. We also hope to encourage those who may previously have driven in and parked up outside and visited one business, to park a little further away and walk in, maybe stop at some other businesses on the way.
Over the coming weeks we will also be announcing further investment in cultural projects to make our town centres even more exciting places to visit and spend time.
We’re also working up plans to support the other town centres in Kirklees, officers have already been in contact with businesses who have requested advice on how to open safely and would encourage others to get in touch if they have any concerns.
The council will be monitoring the situation as shoppers return to each town centre in order to provide the right level of support to make sure everyone is kept safe.
Cllr Peter McBride, Cabinet Member for Regeneration said:
“The way we shop and socialise has changed in response to the pandemic, but this isn’t a bad thing, it’s an opportunity to try new things and attract different customers. We’ve seen businesses come up with innovative ways to stay open during the lockdown and I am sure we will see more of this as others begin to re-open. This is just the start of the recovery journey we will continue to work with the business community and support the regeneration of the town centres in line with our ambitions as set out in the two blueprints. We are committed to working in a place based way and that is why the approach we are taking may differ across Kirklees, with safety coming first in whatever we do. I would urge businesses that are considering re-opening to check out the latest advice on our website and get in contact if they need any additional support.”
Matthew Chapman Huddersfield BID Manager said:
“We have been in close contact with our town centre businesses throughout the pandemic, and they are all excited to begin trading again over the coming weeks. Alongside the council we have ambitions to bring Huddersfield back to life and by working together I believe we can achieve great things. We will be supporting the council to understand how the changes they are making are working on the ground and will continue to work with them on our plans to make Huddersfield into a vibrant, safe, attractive and accessible destination.”
Hi Phil, we’re sorry you feel this way. We want to make sure that all businesses have an opportunity to thrive in our town centres. Parking is free from Monday 15th of June – September if you fancy a visit into town? Kind Regards ^CP
Get rid of the damned bus lanes, they have ruined all trade within the town centre.
Same muppet who put the Bus Gates into place, this is bloody stupid, might as well close all the roads around Huddersfield, the thing is this will not bring people into town, where are they going to park, the multi story is closed, not enough thought has gone into this as usual, like a bull in a china shop.
Unfortunately the life has been squeezed out of the Town centre, with Kingsgate and fast food seemingly the only attractions, with the smell of weed everywhere, shame, but that’s the way it is. If you wish to have increased footfall, try free parking for a month and see what impact that has.
It won’t matter to me I will not be shopping in Huddersfield any more
Re. Dewsbury proposals…If the council is serious about regenerating the town centre and as some sort of shopping/leisure destination, then it must not alienate the people who are likely to make that vision happen-the motorist.
City centres which are vehicle free can still attract shoppers in numbers. Not so with towns. The traffic free centres of Morley and Ossett for example lend themselves to be deserted and lifeless, market mornings excepted.
We are being told to avoid public transport. The majority of the hilly terrain of the area is unsuitable for most of the ageing population, to consider walking. Yet here we are making life more difficult.
Longcauseway….If buses only, what about access to the car park behind the town hall-access to parking spaces around the town hall- access to the baptist church, town hall-
access to empire house, the towns only purpose built office block. This is an ill conceived idea, and will result in people going elsewhere to do their business.
Ring road cycle lane…..what evidence is there to suggest that this is necessary. How many cyclists actually travel this route now. My observations suggest hardly any -nearby hilly terrain being an obstacle. This will surely have a knock on effect of concentrating currently filtered traffic into one lane, causing congestion and delays at peak times. I see no point in this proposal other than pandering to the vegan eating/environmental warriors within the council. They are certainly thin on the ground in Dewsbury.
If the closures are inevitable, then it presents another issue regarding bus services. Up until 2/3 years ago, all buses going to and from Leeds and Wakefield, were routed via Longcauseway on the outward journey and Northgate on the inward journey. There were well used bus stops in these areas- a great aid to shoppers and the elderly, and a number of shops as well. The routes were subsequently altered to avoid schedule delays. If Longcauseway becomes bus only use, then it would be pertinent to re-introduce the original route and bus stops, given that rhere would be a reduction of other traffic.
We need to be able to meet friends over a coffee or pint, shop, exercise, travel, and spend our money supporting local businesses, in traffic free clean air zones