Traffic lights plan for new homes scheme in Denholme (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Traffic lights plan for new homes scheme in Denholme

11:00am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By Chris Young, T&A Reporter

A mini roundabout or new traffic lights could help ease traffic navigating a perilous road in Denholme.

Yesterday and today villagers got their chance to look at proposals for a new housing estate on the junction of New Road and Long Causeway, an accident blackspot.

Proposed by Bailey Brothers Builders, the 37-house estate would bring new roadworks to the road, and over the two-day consultation residents have been shown three different “solutions” to the bend’s traffic problems.

One would see improved road markings, including a hatched area to let drivers know there should be no overtaking. The second involves traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing at the bend and the third sees a mini roundabout installed where the two roads meet.

The traffic light idea was devised after the developer’s agents met with Denholme Town Council last week.

Bradford Council has deemed the site “potentially suitable” for housing, and has previously stated Denholme needs 450 new houses in the next 20 years.

As well as the three different traffic solutions, there were two different housing layouts on display – one laid out like a traditional estate and the other in a mews style formation.

The applicants will use feedback from the two day exhibition to put together a planning application, which they expect to officially submit to the Council in May.

Toan Chau, the traffic engineer for the project, said: “We know it is a bit of an accident area, what we want to do is have part of the scheme improve the highway with traffic calming. A lot of the accidents are caused by speeding and traffic going out of lane. All three schemes would reduce the speed.”

Jay Everett, from property company CBRE, said: “When we met with the town council they suggested a traffic light junction. This would help slow traffic through the whole village, especially HGVs.”

He said they were also looking at ways of reducing flooding on the site, and were aware of a mineshaft near the field which they would be taking into account with any plans.

One Denholme resident at the exhibition, who didn’t wish to be named, said: “We need jobs in Denholme, especially building jobs. I think what they’re planning and the jobs it will create is brilliant.”

As of yesterday afternoon the consultation had received half a dozen responses, with support for both the traffic lights and mini roundabout.