End date in sight as Greengates junction works almost 90 per cent completed by Howard Civil Engineering

The Greengates Crossroads improvement works have been ongoing since July 2020 and were in the pipeline even further before that.

Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority will have shelled out £13.75 million between them once the ribbon is officially cut on the scheme at the junction of New Line and Harrogate Road - a whopping £5 million more than the initial estimated cost of £8.7 million.

That inflated price has come about due to delays brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic and "uncharted pipes", a meeting of the Combined Authority heard in January this year.

Works taking place at Greengates junction in Autumn. Picture: Howard Civil Engineering

The works were originally due to be completed by October 2021, but that was pushed back last year to some point this Spring.

It is believed roughly 65 to 70 per cent of the project was boxed off by early November in 2021.

The T&A can reveal today that Howard Civil Engineering - the company contracted to undertake the scheme - has completed another 21 to 16 per cent in the four months since.

A piece of software gives the parties involved an idea of how much of the project is finished and the latest projection shows 86 per cent of the crossroad is done.

Works on New Line at the Greengates junction. Picture: Howard Civil Engineering

David Aspinall, who works for Bradford Council and is Project Manager of the scheme, said that estimation "feels about right" for where the works are actually at.

He added: "Please be assured that we are endeavouring to complete the scheme as quickly as we can. Much of the work is already done.

"The south-west corner (Farmfoods) and south-east corner (Costa Coffee) have been complete for a few months now and we are currently nearing completion on the north-west corner (War Memorial) with the walls now rebuilt, service diversions completed and paving and railing installation almost finished.

Works on Harrogate Road. Picture: Howard Civil Engineering

"We still have road widening to construct on the northeast corner, from Carr Bottom Road around to ASDA, central islands, the final surfacing, road markings, landscaping and traffic signals works to install.

"In terms of percentage complete, the software says we are 86 per cent complete, which does feel about right."

The works are also still expected to hit the latest finish date of Spring 2022.

Mr Aspinall said: "One of the key activities will be the final road surfacing which is planned to be done in May and overall completion will be achieved shortly after that and within the Spring period that we announced last summer."

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