Congestion plan for Bradford's busiest bus routes

The work will include extra bus lanes and new signals on the district's most congested routes

More than £1m is to be spent on improving four of Bradford’s busiest bus routes, the council has said.

It follows analysis carried out by operator First Bus which highlighted the places where buses were losing the most time in traffic.

Bradford Council said it had developed targeted schemes, such as new signals and sections of bus lane, in a bid to speed up journeys.

The £1.2m would come from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), with the work expected to be carried out over the next two years, it added.

'More efficient'

Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council's lead member for regeneration, transport and planning, said the money was a "significant investment".

"We know the improvements will have a positive impact on people’s journeys as they travel across the city," he said.

"Encouraging more sustainable transport across the district is a priority and these improvements will mean bus travel on these routes is quicker and more efficient.”

The four routes and destinations on which the £1.2m is expected to be spent are:

• A647 Leeds Road/Garnett Street, City Centre

• Leeds Road/Laisterdyke, Laisterdyke (Bradford, Thornbury and Leeds on the First Bus services 72, 608 and X6)

• Bolton Road/Leeds Road/Stone Hall Road, Eccleshill (Bradford, Eccleshill, Thorpe Edge and Leeds Bradford Airport on First Bus services 640 and 641 and Transdev Flyer Buses service A2

• Little Horton Lane/Park Lane, City Centre (Bradford, Little Horton, Dewsbury and Wakefield on First Bus services 640 and 641 and Arriva service 268)

Last week, it was agreed that bus services in West Yorkshire would be brought back under public control.

That means WYCA will decide on bus services and their timetables.

The estimated cost of the move would require a one–off transition investment of £15.1m spread over four years, plus an £85.5m investment in depots, a WYCA meeting heard.

It was also revealed that a temporary bus station could be set up in the city centre should work which was needed to repair Bradford Interchange stretch into 2025.

The site has been closed since early January after a block of concrete from the structure collapsed into an underground car park.

Results of a site survey were due in the next few weeks and WYCA said it was in talks to find potential sites for a temporary option.

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