Work to improve a popular walking and cycling route will begin later this month – and will include the removal of barriers that prevent some people accessing the greenway.

Work on a 2.5 mile stretch of the Spen Valley Greenway between Oakenshaw and Cleckheaton is set to start on 12 February, and this stretch will be closed for three months while the work takes place.

The £958,000 project, by cycling and walking charity Sustrans and funded by the Department for Transport, will see the route widened to make it easier for cyclists and pedestrians to share the same track.

The work will take place on the stretch between Victoria Park in Oakenshaw and Whitechapel Road in Cleckheaton. This whole section of the greenway will be closed while work is being carried out.

The upgrade includes improving access at Laithe Hall Avenue and Green Lane to help people with wheelchairs, pushchairs, and adapted bikes get onto the greenway more easily.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Some of the pathway that will be repaired through the workSome of the pathway that will be repaired through the work (Image: Sustrans)

The team will create a smooth surface, remove tree roots, and widen the path. Spen Valley Greenway is part of National Route 66, a former railway line that runs from Dewsbury to Oakenshaw, near Bradford. It’s a popular path for people walking and cycling for leisure, as well as commuting to school and workplaces.

Josh Molyneux, Network Development Manager at Sustrans said: “We’re very pleased to have received funding to upgrade this section of the Spen Valley Greenway.

"It’s an extremely well-used traffic-free path, enjoyed by the whole community. School children walk or cycle to school, and many people use it as part of their walk or cycle to work, as well as for leisure walks, runs and bike rides.

“The resurfacing work and access point improvement will help to open up the path to people on mobility scooters, wheelchairs and other mobility aids, and to make it easier for families with double buggies or larger cycles.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: One of the barriers on the Greenway that will be removedOne of the barriers on the Greenway that will be removed (Image: sustrans)

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Porfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport at Bradford Council, said: “Upgrading this popular route will improve accessibility for everyone and hopefully make it an even more attractive route for walking and cycling for local people.”

Councillor Moses Crook, Cabinet Member for Housing and Highways at Kirklees Council said: “As a council we are absolutely committed to making it a safer and easier choice for people to travel by walking, wheeling or cycling. These upgrades to the Spen Valley Greenway will help even more people to make the shift to more sustainable and active forms of transport.”