FRESH calls are being made for a new trans-Pennine motorway linking the Bradford district with East Lancashire to “deliver huge economic benefits to the region.”

Talks have been held between Bradford Council and Transport for the North (TfN) about the possibility of extending the M65 from Colne, where it currently ends, into the Keighley area.

Politicians and business leaders in Bradford believe the move would provide a much-needed alternative trans-Pennine route to the congested M62.

At present, the M65 runs for 26 miles from south of Preston through Lancashire towns including Blackburn and Burnley before ending in Colne.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport, told the Telegraph & Argus: “Completing the motorway link between East Lancashire and West Yorkshire to create a trans-Pennine corridor would deliver huge economic benefits to the region, particularly the Aire Valley and Keighley. We know there’s a big demand for this from businesses and we raised it with representatives from TfN when we met them recently and are fully supportive of the work they are doing around feasibility and potential routes.”

TfN, the organisation formed to transform the transport system across the North, is working to develop a long-term Strategic Transport Plan, which will identify investment priorities for the region.

That plan is being developed in conjunction with the 11 Local Enterprise Partnerships and 19 Local Transport Authorities in the North. A TfN spokesman said: “The corridor linking East Lancashire with North and West Yorkshire will be considered as part of this work. We will be using evidence from a wide range of sources to inform the Strategic Transport Plan, including the forthcoming study being jointly undertaken by Local Enterprise Partnerships in Lancashire, Leeds City Region and York, North Yorkshire and East Riding.”

The call for a motorway has been supported by political figures in the Bradford district. Cllr Simon Cooke, leader of the Conservative group on Bradford Council, said the scheme would give a welcome boost to the district’s business community. He said: “It’s a really good opportunity to have a relief road for the M62 and open up the Aire Valley to connect them better with the world. It could be a dual carriageway or motorway.

“It’s about having another trans-Pennine crossing to take the pressure off the M62 and it would give the Aire Valley a boost.”

Cllr Cooke said he did not have a firm view on the exact route the motorway should take and added: “The principle of the motorway has to be agreed first, before we start discussing the route.There is a lot of possible routes.”

The Mayor of Keighley, Cllr Shabir Ahmed, said: “If it does happen, it would be brilliant. At the moment, Keighley is very badly affected by gridlock. We have been looking for a solution for the last 15 to 20 years. People in Skipton and the Dales would benefit too.”

Business figures have also backed the proposal, including Mike Regnier, chief executive of Yorkshire Building Society.

He said: “A new motorway through Colne to our airport, connecting Keighley as well as Bradford better to Manchester and Lancashire, could and must also be delivered.”

Nick Garthwaite, vice-chairman of Bradford Chamber of Commerce, said: “If it does go ahead, I would say about time. There is no doubt that having such a link would stimulate activity along the Airedale corridor.

“I can’t help but say it will make a positive difference.”

A West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) spokesman said: “WYCA is working with LEPs in Lancashire and North Yorkshire to understand better the economic potential of improved transport links along this corridor and the work TfN is leading to look at gaps in the infrastructure between our city regions.”

Newspaper archives show that the idea of extending the M65 from Colne to the Keighley area were being discussed as long ago as the 1980s, but have not yet become a reality for a variety of reasons.

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