New 20 mph speed limit law: How has it affected motorists in the UK?
Visits: 9
Local Developments At Cooper Bridge
In addition to Flockton's immediate road issues, we also keep an eye on surrounding road developments which could affect traffic flow through and around the village. You can read about these other local road issues here.
Survey and presentation here
(We need as many as possible completing this)
In recent comments on social media platforms, Cllr. Martyn Bolt, posted the following on 5 June 2021:
"You may recall the motion approved and adopted by the Full Council at Kirklees regarding impact studies as a result of planned major road schemes?
Strangely Kirklees staff seem oblivious to this when talking about the next plans for the cooper bridge relief scheme, and no consideration of traffic impact on the B6118 has been done."
Council minutes from 7 November 2018
Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 as to Flockton Traffic Issues:
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To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Smith, J Taylor and D Hall.
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“This Council notes that work is now underway to produce an Option Assessment Report in relation to the North Kirklees Orbital Route which will help to determine if this is a viable scheme to develop.
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Additionally the £77 million Cooper Bridge by pass, linking the A644 near junction 25 M62 and the A62 near Bradley Bar is currently in the Design phase.
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The Council recognises that both these schemes have the potential to significantly affect the volume and flow of traffic in and around the village of Flockton and on the B6118.
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Given the existing severe traffic problems affecting the village of Flockton and the undoubted increase in the future with developments already in construction and the potential from the Local Plan , the Council recognises that even if it were to overlook the 2 major road schemes already mentioned, without intervention, this situation will only continue to deteriorate.
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Therefore the council calls on the Cabinet to undertake an assessment of any impact upon the village of Flockton & B6118 from the NKOR and A62 scheme and to ensure that due consideration is given to the issues in Flockton prior to any work starting on either of these road schemes.”
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Decision: Motion approved
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Visits: 294
A Footway Improvement Scheme
A message from Cllr. Richard Smith (29 April 2021)
Upgrade work is about to commence to the footpath on [A637] Barnsley Road. Further details below regarding the areas affected and timescales. Whilst this will involve some temporary inconvenience, once completed this will be a massive improvement. Businesses and residents will receive letters shortly from Kirklees. Sharing this information as early warning, which I hope is useful.
The area of work is from the entrance to Grange Moor Coachworks to just beyond the junction of Haigh Lane.
The work is due to start on Monday 17th May 2021 and will last for approximately 7 weeks, weather conditions permitting. Kirklees will be removing vegetation and resurfacing the footways, replacing some of the kerbs and undertaking some localised drainage improvements.
The main disruption to residents and other road users will be in the form of 2-way temporary traffic signals required to control traffic safely past the work areas. The signals will be operating on restricted hours between 09:30 and 15:00 Monday to Friday in order to minimise disruption as much as possible. A temporary traffic regulation order (TTRO) will also be in place to reduce the speed limit down from 50mph to 30mph. Scheme information boards will also be placed at the extents of the site, informing other road users about the works.
Visits: 68
Roadworks 4 May to 25 June 2021
Road Closures. Notification of TTRO Our Ref: TTRO 12838
Date: 24th March 2021
Location: Road closure: Speed reduction from 50mph to 30mph: Liley lane and Barnsley road, Grange Moor and Barnsley road Flockton.
Extent: From the junction of Haigh Lane to the junction of Briestfield Road – from Briestfield Road to Palace Wood Farm.
Ward: Kirkburton Ward. This document is to notify yourselves of a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order that is to be raised for the above location.
a) A copy plan indicating the extent of the restriction.
b) Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.
c) Vehicular traffic will have access to the points of the restriction.
d) The Diversionary route will be: N/A this is a speed reduction only.
e) The order will be effected on 4th May 2021 until 25th June 2021
f) Temporary traffic regulation order for KMC for a 50mph to 30mph speed reduction for safety reasons.
If you would like any further information, please send your queries to:
Visits: 102
3 Near Misses on Flockton Rat-Run
Tony Earnshaw – Local Democracy Reporter – YorkshireLive, writes…
"Three near misses in Huddersfield village plagued by rat-run motorists
"Campaigners wanting a bypass for Flockton say it is like living next to a motorway.
"People living in Flockton say they are continuing to be plagued by dangerous and fast-moving traffic in their village.
"One woman complained of three near misses in recent days, while another said she was actually hit by a car too close to the kerb as she walked with crutches." Read full article here.
"In July Dewsbury MP Mark Eastwood raised the notion of a Flockton Bypass in the House of Commons.
"He described it as "an urgent priority" and offered his full support to campaigners."
Visits: 81
Why No Flockton Bypass Feasibility Study?
Flockton Bypass campaigner, David Rawling revisits the ExaminerLive article of 2017.
FUNDING to develop the case for a £110m north Kirklees orbital road has been agreed.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has agreed to spend £248,000 to develop the plan for the route that could link the M62 with the M1.
The money would be spent on a ‘Strategic Case for the Transformational Project’ that will look at locations for the road, likely to be a dual carriageway,
If the plan gets to go-ahead it could take three years to construct.
A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: “The council has successfully secured a grant of £247k from the Transformational Funding Pot, which is part of the West Yorkshire Transport Fund.
“This grant will be used to look at route options for North Kirklees Orbital. The work will also assess the benefits of the scheme.
“In order to bid for funding the council has to submit an estimated cost for the project they are wanting to investigate. Our current estimate is £110 million.
“Both the cost and timescales are dependent on the outcome of the further feasibility work.
Locations for the road have also not been revealed, a map provided to the Examiner last year shows a two-mile-wide strip between the two motorways and includes Hartshead, Mirfield, Robertown, Dewsbury Moor, Ravensthorpe, Savile Town, Earlsheaton, Chickenley and Ossett.
David Rawling comments:
"As announced in July 2017. Interestingly, we have since been informed by the Council that no money was available to carry out a feasibility study for a Flockton bypass, as it would cost them approximately £80k. Couldn’t this be linked to the one above, at a much lower cost? Or is that too simplistic?
"Of course, they would need to factor in any effect of the planned improvements and developments over at Cooper Bridge, Bradley, Mirfield, and Dewsbury Riverside, too.
"Data collection equipment was seen on many local roads last year, presumably relating to the above.
"I assume that our councillors will be informed about the 'relief' such a road will bring to Flockton and neighbouring communities, once built, as we are being led to believe it will. In 20 years time or so. Or if at all."
Read the original ExaminerLive article here.
Visits: 74
Road Surface Dressing Programme
Posted on facebook by Cllr. Richard Smith (8 May 2019)
"I have received information about the surface dressing programme which will affect Flockton in the near future. It is possible that there will be some minor disruption during this time.
"Works are currently projected to start on the 28 May 2019, after the bank holiday, and it is envisaged that they will be finished mid-July. However, things can change, without notice, due to weather or plant breakdowns, etc."
The affected roads within Flockton are;
Wakefield Road (A642) to Moor Top Lane
Paul Lane to Lenacre Lane
Visits: 80
New 20 MPH Signs Arrive In Flockton
Update: April 2019
"Following on from the installation of the 20mph zone, I have talked to Highways about some of the comments I have been receiving from local residents. Highways have agreed to install some more 20mph roundels, so that there is more visibility of these through the 20mph zone and they will also be arranging to paint 20mph signs on the road surface at the access points." – Cllr. John Taylor (as posted on Flockton facebook pages)
"Further to John's post regarding the 20mph Zone, we have also had a note from the Police that they will be undertaking some enforcement in the next few weeks." – Cllr. Richard Smith
Here they are – a little earlier than expected. Complete with artwork by children from Flockton C of E C First School.
There are 4 signs altogether – 2 at each end of the village.
There are some nice photographs on the school's public facebook page. I am currently awaiting a reply to see if we can have permission to embed the post on this page.
Visits: 362
Flockton traffic motion carried at Kirklees Council meeting
Attending Kirklees Council's meeting on Wednesday 7 November 2018, Cllr. Richard Smith announced that: "Flockton traffic motion carried". He has added the following statements:
So the motion reads “This Council notes that work is now underway to produce an Option Assessment Report in relation to the North Kirklees Orbital Route [NKOR], which will help to determine if this is a viable scheme to develop. Additionally the £77 million Cooper Bridge by pass, linking the A644 near junction 25 M62 and the A62 near Bradley Bar, is currently in the Design phase.
"The Council recognises that both these schemes have the potential to significantly affect the volume and flow of traffic in and around the village of Flockton and on the B6118.
"Given the existing severe traffic problems affecting the village of Flockton and the undoubted increase in the future with developments already in construction and the potential from the Local Plan , the Council recognises that even if it were to overlook the 2 major road schemes already mentioned, without intervention, this situation will only continue to deteriorate. Therefore, the council calls on the Cabinet to undertake an assessment of any impact upon the village of Flockton and B6118 from the NKOR and A62 scheme and to ensure that due consideration is given to the issues in Flockton prior to any work starting on either of these road schemes.”
And…
“Which in practice means there is now a marker in the sand, in terms of the major road schemes being considered at the moment, in that when these progress, an assessment must be undertaken on any impact on Flockton and surrounding area. It also means that it is something we can use to pressurise the Cabinet in terms of consideration of Bypass, plus we can use this to discuss related issues at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Also MRN [Major Road Network] funding is potentially suitable, and following this motion, it means we can more easily bring up business related to this. So overall a small step in a longer battle, but the fact that this was passed is a much more positive step than where we were at 6 months ago. It is also very encouraging that there was no real opposition to a frank discussion about traffic issues in Flockton.”
The campaign continues. Please keep showing your support.
Visits: 98
Highways Responds to Traffic Recording Strips
Cllr John Taylor has now received a response from Highways, following the recent use of traffic recording (count and speed) strips placed throughout Flockton village, from 16 May 2018.
"The detailed response from Highways about my request, supported by Jacqui Gedman, the Chief Executive and my ward Colleagues for an end to end road safety audit of Barnsley Rd and the reason for the recording strips that were across the road. Rather than summaries I have copied below the entire response."
"We have now received the speed counts back that we did before the half term holidays, which have allowed us to better assess the extents of any speed limit changes for the village. The team have also spent some time walking up and down the village to get a feel for where the issues are, and looked at the casualty information for the full length of the current 30mph section.
All of the 7 traffic counters we placed recorded speeds in both directions, over the full week, and from that we know that the slowest speeds through the village were recorded on either approach to the school , and then gets gradually faster as you travel away. Phill will also send the full summary of results next week, but the average speed across all the counts is around 28mph eastbound and 32mph westbound.
The 2 outer counters, one approaching Haigh Lane (from Grange Moor), the other approaching Hardcastle Lane, from the M1, also classified the vehicles travelling over them, and identified their direction of travel.
From this information we know that average of 419 HGV’s (7.8% of the overall traffic volume) travelled Westbound* towards the M1 (in 24 hrs), in contravention of the existing weight limit order. Whilst some of those may have been legitimately delivering to the village, it is likely that some are not. We will now be sharing the count information with the Police, so they can target enforcement, once they feel confident that the weight limit order is written in a way that allows them to prosecute without challenge. I know Joe Walker has been in touch with you regarding this.
The team have used all this info to score a scheme to reduce the speed limit through the village, against the Policy and the agreed criteria. They will be contacting you with draft proposals for a 20mph speed limit next week, along with the full count summary for each site.
The hope is that you and your ward colleagues will be able to sense check the limits of the proposed 20mph limit, and then advise on the best methods of consultation with the village residents.
The 20mph limit will be supported by a refresh of all the lining, 20mph repeater signs, both on sign posts, but also in roundels on the carriageway, and features on the ground, on approach to the new 20 limit, to slow traffic down.
The Road Safety team will also be contacting the school this month to discuss working with them on a competition to design some road signs to go at the entrance to the 20mph limit, and also on what additional education and training we can do with them, including refreshing their travel plan, and what we can do to help encourage more of their children to walk to school.
If we start the ball rolling with them now, then they have time to plan time for the sign designs to be worked on when the children return to school after the summer.
That will coincide with, hopefully, the completed consultation with the village, the formal advertising of a scheme through Sept, to allow a scheme on the ground in Oct, assuming no objections are received to the formal advertising."
John concludes by saying: "Clearly there is a lot to do and with my ward Colleagues we will work with you on the detail regarding this. As I say, this is hot news, from an email I just received and hopefully we can flesh this out a little at the public meeting [held in the Church, on Friday 15 June at 6:30 pm] and I will share more on here as and when I get more detail."
*Should be Eastbound
Visits: 120
