How 'chaos' roadworks will change Bradford's centre
Since April, visitors to Bradford city centre have been confronted with the sight of some of the most extensive roadworks in recent memory.
The second phase of the wide-ranging Walking and Cycling Improvements project began in April, and many routes have now been closed to vehicles. Pedestrian access has also been affected.
Yet business owners claim the works have caused "chaos", coupled with the closure of Bradford Interchange bus station due to damage to the building.
The scheme to pedestrianise the city centre will continue until next spring, with the council promising that more green spaces will be created and the streets will be easier to navigate on foot or by bike.
What is the work?
It is all part of a transport scheme taking place in the city ahead of its year as UK City of Culture in 2025.
The council says its main purpose is to "boost the regeneration of the city centre" and improve air quality.
Bank Street, Broadway, Market Street, Hall Ings and parts of Bridge Street and Little Horton Lane have all been shut off to traffic.
There have also been major changes to bus timetables and stops, and a taxi rank and disabled parking bays on Bank Street have been taken out of use.
Disabled parking on Norfolk Gardens is also no longer available, with the nearest blue badge spaces on Aldermanbury and Pictureville.
When the work is complete, a number of arterial roads will be permanently off-limits to through traffic, while buses will instead be routed through a "public transport corridor" and serve eight hubs rather than numerous stops.
'Dominated by traffic'
Bradford Council has said that roads built in the 1960s and 70s are "no longer fit for purpose" and do "not manage traffic well".
They had created an environment "dominated by traffic, congestion and air pollution".
The bus services are being diverted because of the delays they faced crossing the network approaching the Interchange.
The council added that foot access to the "cultural quarter" consisting of the main Bradford 2025 performance venues, such as Bradford Live and the Alhambra, would be improved by the pedestrianisation plans.
'Impossible to survive'
City centre business owners have said they face permanent closure unless they are compensated for a loss in trade caused by the roadworks.
Traders told the BBC that the road closures and diversions have had "devastating" impact on their takings.
Hamza Abbas said he had seen such a drastic drop in footfall since the work started that he had decided to closure his gift shop at the end of the month.
He said: "I used to have 100 customers a day. Now I barely make £50 a day - today I have made £35 so far. How can I survive?"
Labour councillor Mohammed Amran said taxi drivers were “finding it almost impossible to earn a living”, with road closures and the moving of taxi ranks leading to losses of “over 50%” of their trade.
Meanwhile, shoppers have had to navigate barriers, diggers, construction dust and narrowed pavements.
Yet the council said short-term disruption would result in a long-term gain.
Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council, told a meeting this week, that when the roadworks were completed "we will have a city centre which will be markedly better than what we have had before".
However, leader of the opposition, Conservative councillor Rebecca Poulsen, said the city centre had become "complete chaos" in recent months, with "many people" now shopping elsewhere.
Interchange issues
The city centre's bus station was closed for safety reasons on 5 January after a piece of concrete fell into an underground car park.
No date has been given by West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) for when it may open with a decision on its future not being made until at least September.
Engineers say that more in-depth surveys are needed before a final decision can be made, with permanent closure, partial or full re-pening all being considered as options.
The "double whammy" of buses being re-routed and the station's closure have impacted on public transport usage.
The issue was raised at the same council meeting on Tuesday, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Councillor Brendan Stubbs, Lib Dem Leader, told the meeting: “I received a text this morning from a bus user saying: ‘It is hellish catching the bus in Bradford now. I feel when it is winter with bad weather and dark nights, it will be impossible.’
“The situation is awful. The reality is most people are avoiding buses in Bradford."
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