Month: March 2018

In it's latest report on Flockton's bypass bid, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner brings together the latest developments around Flockton's request for help in improving traffic reduction and road safety in the village.

"Almost everyone knows someone who's been hit by a wing mirror of a passing vehicle", headlines the  article by Nick Lavigueur, 29 March 2018.

Kirklees Council chief executive, Jacqui Gedman, visited Flockton on 21 March to experience road safety issues for herself and has now given renewed hope that something will be done to make Flockton safer. Councillor John Taylor, who has also taken an active role in supporting Flockton's plight, has continued to put pressure on the local authority to respond to the needs of villagers, including arranging for better cleaning of both road and pavements, as a result of work on a new and large housing development in the heart of the village.

In addition to the article, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner is running its own poll, where you can vote yes or no to the question, Should Flockton get a bypass? (The poll is at the bottom of their article page).

Read the full article here.

Read more articles about Flockton, here.

Views: 110

Due to the amount of construction work happening in the village, the roads and pavements continue to be in quite a poor state. There has been some cleaning of the road, but pavements are generally not included. Furthermore, much of the dirt is being washed or pushed into the drainage system.

  

 

Councillor, John Taylor, was informed of the condition of the drains and has also separately flagged up the blocked gutters to the drainage team, who come out with a truck with a suction pump attached to clean out the blocked gutters.

Views: 108

The Chief Executive of Kirklees Council, Jacqui Gedman, took an early morning walk through Flockton village, at one of its busiest times, on Wednesday 21 March 2018.

Pictured left to right: Cllr John Taylor, Jacqui Gedman, Kathryn Middleton, Elena Delaney, Mr N Cappleman 

Mr Cappleman (Head at Flockton C of E (C) First School) met Jacqui Gedman at the school at 8:30 am, with Cllr John Taylor. They were joined by Kathryn Middleton, and Elena Delaney and proceeded to walk up into the village to meet families coming down the other way, to school.

They then continued to walk up the hill, finally stopping for a moment to observe and discuss the traffic, before returning to the school, where parents had an opportunity to air their concerns, putting forward emotive, first hand accounts, of living in Flockton with children.

Jacqui Gedman witnessed first hand, not only the levels of traffic going through the village, but also the size of some of that traffic!

Jacqui also had an opportunity to realise how narrow, and in what condition, some of our pavements are. In the photo above, the group are shown on one of the better stretches of pavement, but you can see how close to the edge of the road they are, with nowhere to easily move, other than forwards or backwards.

Views: 776

An early morning walk through Flockton village, at one of its busiest times, has been organised, with the Chief Executive of Kirklees Council, Jacqui Gedman and local families, on Wednesday 21 March 2018.

Jacqui is going to walk to school with parents and children to get a view of the road safety concerns held by many in the village.

Mr Cappleman (Head at Flockton C of E (C) First School) will meet Jacqui Gedman at the school from 8:30 am with Cllr John Taylor. They will then walk up into the village to meet families coming down the other way. It is hoped too, that on return to the safety of the school, some parents and children will have the opportunity to speak to Jacqui, about the problems they face with traffic.

(This walk was postponed from 1 March, when we had the snow).

Views: 101

A £77m plan to change the road network around Bradley and Cooper Bridge will be unveiled this summer. And it’s coming years sooner than previously thought.

Highways officials have confirmed they have significantly advanced plans to provide a bypass to the Huddersfield side of the constantly jammed Cooper Bridge roundabout. Read more…

(The video clip looks like a typical traffic day through Flockton – same number of vehicles passing the camera).

Views: 170

The boundless enthusiasm of our local bypass heroes didn't prevent them from getting out in this morning's brass monkey weather, to deliver the latest offering to residents – the bypass window posters.

Residents in favour of a bypass are asked to display these little posters in their windows and possibly, on their gates and fences. As people drive and walk through Flockton, we hope to make it very clear that our village needs a positive solution to its traffic problems. These laminated posters are free to those who are happy to display them.

Views: 79

We have made some laminated window posters. Ideally, we would like to see them appear throughout the village – in people's windows, or on their doors or gates. (Click on images to enlarge).

 
Design by Richard Gentle

As well as being given out, by members of the Bypass Group, you can also download and print your own – ideally onto a bright coloured piece of paper.*

*You can keep them in their rectangular form, or cut around them. (Already laminated posters, being used outside, will need to be left as they are. If you can laminate your own, cut it out, or trim it slightly, before laminating, leaving a margin of plastic to create a better waterproof seam).

Views: 250

Since we began the Flockton Bypass website, we have recorded the numbers of visitors. The statistics shown below are for the period up to 9 March 2018. Although at least half of those visits shown are probably from search engines, we are, nevertheless, delighted that the website is being accessed. (Click on images to enlarge). We think that spikes shown in the graph are connected to times when leaflets have been handed out.

Views: 291

Another Quiz Night at the Sun

Jo, at the Sun Inn, has been very supportive of the Bypass campaign and has given the go ahead for another raffle to raise a bit more money. It was a great night last time, and the winners are donating their prize of Prosecco for this one! “The Bypassers” will be looking to hold on to their title!

Views: 51

Lorry drivers will be reminded that they cannot drive through a clogged up village to get out of Huddersfield.

Kirklees Council has said it is reviewing the legal ins and outs of its road traffic law that bans heavy good vehicles driving through Flockton from Grange Moor to the M1.

An order has been in place since 1971 restricting all vehicles over 7.5 tonnes from travelling eastbound through the narrow village roads. (Read full article – The Huddersfield Daily Examiner).

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Some people believe that money for a Flockton village bypass would have to come out of Kirklees Council's, already under strain, budget and that in any case, Kirklees wouldn't have a say, since the decision comes from central Government. However, this is not true. The reason that Flockton villagers have once again requested a bypass, is because the Government announced at the end of last year, that it was going to make funding available to Councils that wanted to propose much needed bypass schemes. Flockton is one of those who are asking Kirklees to debate the need and present their case to the Government.

David Rawling posted on The Huddersfield Examiner's facebook page: "Kirklees have a say and have had 2 opportunities recently to put this right. But for some reason, chose not to.
1. West Yorkshire Combined Authority – West Yorkshire ‘Plus’ Transport Fund
2. Department for Transport – Proposals for the creation of a Major Road Network
As announced over 2 years ago for councils to submit their proposals. Which Kirklees announced in The Examiner, pre-Xmas, when people were generally preoccupied. It was not missed by one or two in Flockton, however. I’ll bet certain councillors wish it had been now! So. Won’t cost Kirklees a penny. But “plans” may need a rethink!

"It doesn’t matter to villagers where the money comes from. As long as it comes, and by whoever would like to get the job done the quickest!"

Views: 150