The report by consultants into possible ways of tackling the traffic congestion at Saltaire is disappointing to say the least. It appears to offer three likely solutions but admits that only one of them "might" reduce delays. This third option, which includes installing traffic lights at the roundabout, closing two small access roads to Saltaire and restricting Moorhead Lane to buses only, is still predicted to cost £565,000.
Given that it's admitted that the outcome of such expenditure would only be a possibility of improved traffic flow it really doesn't seem practical or sensible to spend that amount of money. Such vast sums could only be justified if the outcome was guaranteed.
All of which means that we are not really any further forward in resolving Saltaire's horrendous traffic problems. It is surely clear to anyone who travels along the Aire Valley that a far more drastic solution is required. Clearly this is something the Council recognises because the report to the executive committee by Steve Barton, its head of major works, says that past ideas of a gyratory system or even a tunnel are worthy of re-examination.
He quite rightly says that further studies are urgent. Far too much time has been wasted on fiddling around the edges of the Saltaire and Shipley traffic nightmare. The Government must sit up and take notice now and start planning for a radical and probably rather expensive solution to the problem because it is the only way to improve quality of life for residents and commuters, accessibility for business and protect the important World Heritage Site that is Saltaire.
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