People urged to return to city centre as works end

Parts of Bradford city centre have been out of bounds for long periods as work was carried out

People have been urged to return to Bradford city centre as pedestrianisation works near completion.

Much of the fencing which turned the heart of the city into a maze of roadworks for most of 2024 has been removed, with Hall Ings the only area of major works still remaining.

The bulk of the work is expected be completed by the end of the year, although planting on the newly extended Norfolk Gardens is likely to continue into the new year.

Si Cunningham, chair of Bradford Civic Society, said: "The people of Bradford have been very patient during the work, but now is the time to come back into town and support the pubs, cafes, and shops."

"It's very satisfying to see the city's historic streets opened up again and looking absolutely fantastic after many months of disruption," Mr Cunningham said.

Work to extend Norfolk Gardens in Bradford has been part of the pedestrianisation project

The Transforming Cities Fund work was first announced in 2020, with the then Conservative government awarding West Yorkshire Combined Authority millions to help make Bradford city centre a more attractive place.

In October, the pedestrianisation work was praised by The Victorian Society for helping to "reclaim" the city centre from motorists.

As the work winds down, planting has taken place in the new public spaces over the past week, including in a raised plaza on Broadway.

Benches styled like wool crates have been installed near the former Wool Exchange in Bradford

Planting has also taken place at a new traffic turning circle at the bottom of Sunbridge Road, in a new ground level planter on Bridge Street – once one of Bradford's busiest roads - and in front of Bradford's £50m landmark entertainment venue Bradford Live, which is yet to open.

Other recent changes have included the installation of a number of street benches near Bradford's former Wool Exchange on Market Street, which are styled to look like wool crates, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Mr Cunningham said: "In my opinion, the city centre looks so much better than it did 10 years ago, so I think the disruption will be worth it in the long run."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.