DfT makes £300k available for Shipley bypass study

The government is supporting a study into the potential of a new bypass that could reduce congestion in Shipley, West Yorkshire.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling announced some £300,000 in funding for Bradford Metropolitan District Council to carry out the study.

The funding was revealed during a meeting at engineering firm Produmax, where the Transport Secretary met business leaders to discuss how an eastern bypass could have positive effects on the area’s economy.

Grayling also announced that Highways England is to spend £500,000 on improvements to the A1 at junction 47 near Harrogate, helping to increase capacity on the road, to help reduce queuing and improve journey times.

Grayling said: “This government is investing record amounts in our roads, spending £6bn on improving journeys in our towns and cities and boosting local economies. We are spending £3bn on making journeys in the North of England faster and more reliable, and tackling congestion.”

North Yorkshire County Council is set to carry out the upgrades to the A1, this will help support the creation of new jobs at the planned Flaxby Green Business Park.  The money comes from Highways England’s £100m fund to help local growth and housing schemes get off the ground.

Highways England chief executive Jim O’Sullivan said: “Our roads are vital for the country and its economic success; they connect businesses and communities and support employment and new homes. These improvements on the A1 will ensure our roads continue to improve journeys and unlock the potential for new jobs and homes.

The Shipley bypass feasibility study could uncover evidence of the wider benefits of a new bypass to the town; for example, by cutting congestion in the town centre by moving traffic onto an alternative road.

“It will also explore how a route around the east of the city could improve air quality and remove barriers to economic growth. If found to be viable, a relief road would provide a second crossing of the River Aire at Shipley and potentially create access to future development opportunities, including new housing.”