Changes to make multi million pound Tong Street improvements more 'green' are welcomed

But one Councillor has called for another road plan for the South of Bradford to be scrapped, saying it will never meet green credentials.

At a meeting of Bradford Council's Executive of Tuesday, members voted to change plans to reduce congestion on Tong Street. Plans to relieve congestion on the busy street date back years.

The initial £25m scheme would see a 1.5km stretch of the road widened to two lanes in each direction, and a new cycle lane created. But shortly before Christmas Bradford Council announced the plans were being re-drawn to make the project more environmentally friendly. The new scheme could now cost as much as £50m. The changes come as West Yorkshire Combined Authority - a body made up of local Councils - is undergoing a review of all major road schemes in the area. The review could see schemes that are not environmentally sustainable scrapped, or scaled back. Changes to the Tong Street plans would include better facilities for buses, cyclists and pedestrians. A report to the Executive said the work would reduce journey times, improve air quality and "improve active travel, sustainable transport facilities, public realm and green infrastructure features to encourage the growth in walking and cycling trips along the corridor." Referring to the increased cost of the scheme, it said: "The project's estimated cost in 2019 was circa £25.5m. The project’s cost is likely to be up to £50m when re-assessed through further development and allowing for inflation, increased land values and 20 per cent increase in construction costs." It says the funding would likely come through Government grants. At the meeting Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, Executive for Regeneration, Transport and Planning, said: "This is a very important arterial route for the District for residents and businesses. Congestion needs to be tackled and residents have asked for this for a long time. There is still a long way to go, but it is important we keep this on the agenda." Officers told the meeting work would likely start on the road in late 2025, and would likely be completed by 2027. Councillor Matt Edwards (Green, Tong) welcomed the changes to the scheme. He did, however, criticise Council bosses for failing to let Councillors and residents know about the changes. He said the first he heard of the new plans for the street was in a copy of the Telegraph and Argus shortly before Christmas. He told members he was glad the Council was looking at other measures to improve the road, rather than the default solution of widening it. He said: "Adding car lanes to improve traffic is like loosening your belt to tackle obesity. “Residents in my ward - in particular Holme Wood and the roads adjacent to Tong Street – already have some of the worst health outcomes in our city. “Whilst there are many complex reasons for this – one factor that stands out as being particularly significant and that is air pollution. Indeed, the Council’s own report on this project states kerbside air quality exceeds the legal national standard. “I am glad that the council have stated that tackling poor air quality will be considered when designing the scheme. But there needs to be a specific commitment that the scheme will improve air quality for residents.” “Whilst doing nothing is not an option, without seeing any concrete plans of what the Highways Department are thinking I am not really able to say if what they are thinking is going to deliver this but I am hopeful from the report today that we are moving in the right direction." Cllr Edwards pointed out that the report referred to the Bradford South Link Road - a £64 million road that would link the Westgate Hill roundabout with the East of the city. The plans for that infrastructure scheme, which would likely involve building on swathes of Green Belt land, have proved controversial, and Cllr Edwards claimed it was unlikely to come out of Combined Authority review in tact. He said: "If we are serious about tackling climate change then we can't be entertaining this project. There is no way the report by WYCA will come back and say this scheme is environmentally sustainable."