Bradford Park and Ride will take 'years' to complete - councillor
Plans for the South Bradford Park and Ride could take a long time to complete - if the project happens at all
A TRANSPORT boss has told Councillors it will be “a number of years” before a long planned park and ride scheme is completed – if it happens at all.
In 2020 the Government awarded Bradford millions of pounds in funding for a number of schemes through its Transforming Cities Fund.
One of these was the South Bradford Park and Ride, which would see a 650 space car park built near the M606. Commuters would park here and use a new fleet of buses to travel down a new look Manchester Road, into the city centre.
But the scheme has since been scaled back – and members of a Council scrutiny committee have questioned whether the work will end up as little more than a few new bus lanes on Manchester Road.
Phase 1 of the work will include new bus priority lanes on Manchester Road, along with new off-road cycle routes, improved crossings and better pedestrian facilities.
That work is expected to begin next year.
But there is currently no time scale – or funding – for the car park, a key part of any park and ride.
Two sites had been suggested for the car park. The old Odsal tip was dismissed as being unsuitable, and proposals for a car park and bus station at the Richard Dunn site have been hit by local opposition and the listing of the former leisure centre.
A report last year revealed the full scheme was then expected to cost around £33m – but only £12m was then available, and this would be used on the Manchester Road improvements.
Bradford Council’s Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee discussed a number of local transport schemes at a meeting on Tuesday, and several members raised concerns about the park and ride plan.
Referring to “Phase 1 and Phase 2” of the scheme, Councillor Anna Watson (Green, Shipley) said: “I can’t really work out if the park and ride is not happening, or if it is happening in a different place.
Richard Gelder, Highways Services Manager, said: “The first phase is improvements to Manchester Road, up to Odsal Roundabout. The second phase is the park element.
“We’ve done a lot of work on the Manchester Road phase with West Yorkshire Combined Authority, we’re hoping to progress that next year.
“The parking element – we had a couple of location. First there was the old Odsal tip, but that was undeliverable. Then we looked at the Richard Dunn site.
“That was affected by the listing of the Richard Dunn building and other strategies for that site coming forward.
“The park element is more long term – the bus benefits for Manchester Road we can deliver sooner. It is still worth while pursuing.”
Councillor Debbie Davies (Cons, Baildon) pointed out that Manchester Road already had bus priority lanes, and questioned why more money should be spent adding further ones.
She recalled a survey on the proposed park and ride that found only 16 per cent of motorists would use it. She added: “Is it still sensible to go ahead with it if only 16 per cent of people will use it?”
Referring to the existing bus lane on Manchester Road – which passes through the middle of the street, Mr Gelder said: “If a bus breaks down it has a knock on effect. Once a bus is on that guided route it can’t bypass a bus in front of it. There was recently one incident when three busses were stuck because the lead bus had broken down.
“The new works will help facilitate better bus movements. The new physical infrastructure will not be significant, but there will be a significant amount of changes and ways of operating on that route.”
He said the changes would include new priority lanes and rights of way.
Referring to the need for a park and ride, he said: “In the city centre we took out the (Hall Ings) NCP – that reduced the number of parking spaces in the centre.
“We were going to offset that by adding the park and ride element. Mass Transit could see further car parks in the city centre closed. The park and ride is still seen as an alternative to parking in the city centre.
“But it is a project that has proven quite difficult to get over the line.”
Councillor Alex Mitchell (Lab, Queensbury) said: “I understand the point of having it near the motorway, but given the two possible sites aren’t viable, is there anywhere else nearby?”
Mr Gelder said: “Only the Odsal tip site isn’t viable. Richard Dunn isn’t out of consideration yet.
“The ideas we had for the site haven’t come to fruition yet. If it proves not to be viable we will look at other sites.
“If we can’t provide something in that part of the city the scheme will be reevaluated.”
Cllr Mitchell pointed out that Councillors in that area had recently expressed opposition to a large car park on the Richard Dunn site.
Mr Gelder said it would remain an option, but added: “In all reality, it is likely to be a number of years before we bring the parking element online – if at all.”
Cllr Mitchell pointed out that with Bradford Bulls’ ascent to the Super League, there will be many more people travelling to the Odsal area from the city centre. He asked if the Council had any plans to help support these crowds.
Mr Gelder said it was an “emerging piece of work” and the Council would look at how Super league effects parking and transport needs in the Odsal area.