MAJOR roadworks on the main route between Bradford and the Aire Valley are on-track to finish by the end of next month, with underground work on a new junction now complete.

The £3.8million project to widen Canal Road between the city centre and Shipley had originally been due to finish in June, but Bradford Council extended the completion date by three months back in May.

The Council attributed the hold-up to a delay in creating new man-made culverts for Bradford Beck, which flows under the site, with a "rapidly-changing" flow rate causing problems for contractors.

However, a spokesman for the authority confirmed this part of the project was now complete, with work now ongoing to "improve traffic flow" on the busy A650.

The redevelopment, being carried out by North Midland Construction, involves the creation of a short length of dual carriageway, near the North of England Wools building, as well as the introduction of traffic signals at the junction of Canal Road and Stanley Road.

The project has been funded jointly by Bradford Council and the Department for Transport through the Local Pinch Point fund, with the intention of reducing traffic congestion on what is one of the most consistently busy roads in the district.

It is estimated about 27,500 car journeys per day are made on the road, which usually becomes particularly congested during peak-time rush hours.

The expansion of the road involved changes to the flow of Bradford Beck, with new concrete channels required to divert the water flow.

When the project started in June last year, Council transport chiefs apologised in advance for the expected delays and congestion, but said the project would alleviate traffic jams and discourage 'rat-running' through surrounding areas, such as new housing schemes planned for Bolton Woods, in the long-term.

Traffic heading towards Shipley has now started to use the new portion of road that will become the inside lane of the dual-carriageway section, although the section is still reduced to a single lane at present.

A spokesman for Bradford Council said: "Our contractors hope to have completed the £3.8m Canal Road scheme by the end of August.

"Underground works to rebuild and extend a culvert on the Bradford Beck are now complete, and the junction works above ground are now taking shape.

"The re-aligned road will be surfaced and traffic lights put in at Canal Road's junction with Stanley Road, which should improve traffic flow and journey times."