Richard G, Author at Flockton Bypass

15 September 202015 September 2020

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."

31 July 20205 August 2020

West Yorkshire Police Submissions Portal

West Yorkshire Police have launched a new system where the force will receive dash cam footage and other forms of digital media from members of the public of where a suspected offence relating to road safety has taken place.

Road safety is a top priority for the force and this will help our aim to prevent deaths and serious injuries on our road network.

The potential offences that the new system will look at include: dangerous driving, driver distraction – including using a mobile phone, driving without due care and attention, careless driving, overtaking on solid white lines, not being in proper control of the vehicle, and traffic light contraventions.

Paul Jeffrey, Prosecutions and Casualty Prevention Manager for West Yorkshire Police, said:

"Dash cams are becoming increasingly popular with motorists across West Yorkshire and we want to work with the public to improve driver behaviour and address offending.

"Any death on our roads is unacceptable and this is part of our ongoing commitment to make West Yorkshire’s roads safer.

"We have been working hard with our IT department to develop this portal. Our new digital submissions teams will then review the footage and take steps to identify the driver.

"If the clip is good enough, and we have enough evidence of an offence taking place, the options we can take include offering the driver a retraining course, issuing a fixed penalty notice, or seeking a prosecution.

"We are expecting a high demand for this service, so please bear with us."

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Mark Burns Williamson, added:

"For some time I have been working with the Force to help bring about this important change and to capitalise upon the technology now available to offer this capability which I really welcome.”

"Over the years, I have heard first hand from communities, partners and local campaign groups, about the importance of road safety and this has always been reflected as a key priority within my Police and Crime Plan.

"The introduction of this crucial digital media tool, however, now represents a significant milestone in our collective offer and commitment to improving safety on our roads.

"Simply, the knowledge that road safety offences could now potentially be captured by anyone and easily shared with the police through this portal, will ultimately positively impact upon behaviours on a preventative level.

"Likewise, it will help to ensure victims and witnesses have the necessary support when reporting an incident in this way, and why it’s taken a while to build the right digital team capacity and IT solutions to make it available to the public.

"I will be closely monitoring the progress of the new system with interest and how we can take full advantage of all its benefits in due course."

For this news item, frequently asked questions on the Safer Roads Media Submissions Portal and to submit dash cam footage please click on this link (opens in new window).

Links:

West Yorkshire Police

Reply to an Alert

Neighbourhood Alert - flocktonbypass.co.uk
Neighbourhood Alert

Accreditations / Cyber Essentials

Terms and Conditions

7 July 20205 August 2020

Your Opportunity To Mark Road Safety Issues On Map

Safe streets for walking and cycling

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority and our partners want to understand which areas in our region could be improved to help the public travel more easily by bike or on foot, and to provide more space to travel safely while social distancing.

Our interactive map will allow you to highlight issues that you are experiencing when travelling by bike or on foot and to suggest where improvements could be made to make these journeys safer, including increasing space for social distancing. The map can be found here.

You will need to register a username for a login, if you want to add information. There is a link on the map page, or click here.

Hot Tip Take screen shots from google street maps to add to your locations – it will help people to see the true nature of road safety issues.

Number of Flockton listings as of 9 July 2020

Example of adding a google street screen capture

22 May 202022 May 2020

Police Pro Laser Operation – Flockton

Police officers from the Rural Neighbourhood Policing Team visited Flockton (Thursday 21 May 2020) to conduct one of two Pro Laser Operations in the local area.

From 0945hrs – 1020hrs Huddersfield Road, Shelley outside the Flying Ferret public house near the junction with Westerley Way and then from 1040hrs – 1130hrs Barnsley Road, Flockton at the junction of Herdwick Road, the new build houses where the “give way to oncoming traffic” flow management system is in place.

West Yorkshire Police – Kirklees Rural (facebook)

Police said:

"This was in response to their complaints, via the Councillor, about driving standards in the area.

"We have received some fantastic feedback from neighbours and drivers alike, neighbours coming out of their houses relieved to see us with a speed gun and drivers giving us thumbs up and thank you’s clearly from the local area. Particularly, the Flockton residents that introduced themselves were complaining of not just speeding but issues relating to vehicles ignoring the giveway signs and ASB/ horn tooting / and general nuisance this causes. We have had a few stops with words of advice given."

In a further development…

"Mark Eastwood MP has met with West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson and the Chief Constable for West Yorkshire Police, John Robbins QPM, yesterday. They discussed the A637 with regards to the horrific accident recently. They have agreed that more policing is required due to the increase in speeding traffic in the area.

Mark Eastwood MP is fully supportive of the bypass and will continue to push our case at Westminster as well as locally to make our road safer." – Cllr. Kathryn Middleton (22 May 2020)

22 April 202024 April 2020

Spate of Accidents Raises Concern Among Villagers

Flockton bypass campaigners say they are 'fed up of dead bodies' after latest crash (23 April 2020)

21 and 22 April 2020

Over the past couple of days, there have been 2 serious accidents – one on the road leaving Flockton towards Grange Moor (ending in the death of a young mother and injuring her 2 children) and one on Liley Lane (after Grange Moor). Despite speculation, Police have not yet released detailed information on these accidents, but new calls for traffic and speed reduction, through Flockton and beyond, have been called for on social media.

Tributes paid to 'wonderful and hard working mum' who died after horror crash in Flockton

A collision left a car on its roof with 2 children injured and their mother dead. "Anyone with information about the collision should phone police on 101 and quote crime reference number 1525 of Monday, 20 April 2020."

Toddler suffered "serious" head injuries in crash that killed mum Danielle Broadhead

Accident on Liley Lane 22 April 2020

Parish Cllr Kathryn Middleton asks villagers to contact Dewsbury MP, Mark Eastwood (who is sympathetic to Flockton's road issues) and Kirklees Highways, with their road safety concerns:

Mark Eastwood MP:

Kirklees road safety link

You could also email Highways at Kirklees:

26 February 202026 February 2020

Growing Area Support For Flockton Bypass

At a recent Flockton Bypass campaign meeting (24 February 2020) Tom Kay, Chair of Wakfield Rural Ward Labour Party, along with others, confirmed his support for a Flockton Bypass. Tom later posted in the facebook group, Blacker Lane Road Safety Campaign:

"Keep your eyes out for our Flockton Bypass support leaflet. Signage has changed at Grange Moor meaning more HGVs through Middlestown, Horbury Bridge and Netherton going up hill past our school [and Blacker Lane]. – Rural Ward Labour Party."

David Rawling responded:

"The restrictions were tightened/made clearer from previously. Was easier to flout them, and harder to prosecute.

"Signage was changed several months ago, unfortunately resulting in more having to follow the diversion signs. Or finding other ways round. Many through Netherton itself, with a good number using Blacker Lane I would imagine. You may well have noticed this.

"A bypass for Flockton would go a long way towards reducing this, if not stopping it altogether. Recognised by members of various political parties representing our communities, including our two MPs."

(15 people attended the Bypass meeting).

26 February 202026 February 2020

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.

28 November 2019

Wakefield Council Snub Support For Flockton In Favour Of More Expensive Schemes

Wakefield Express, Wednesday 27 November 2019

Under the banner heading of "Plan to build £100m link road round Featherstone to be discussed" it seems that "Senior Wakefield councillors are set to sign off extra funding for a new link road around the south of Featherstone."

Flockton Bypass campaigner, David Rawling commented on social media:

"Yet Wakefield Council don’t think a bypass for Flockton is a good idea, at almost a tenth of the cost, benefitting Netherton and neighbouring areas. Would cost them nothing either!!"

When Martyn Bolt (Town Mayor, Mirfield Town Council) asked about a recent meeting with Wakefield's Cllr. Morley* and Flockton's Cllr. Kathryn Middleton, she said:

"He was concerned about the impact on Bretton. Bretton considered in isolation!! 460 residents put before the 14,000 in Sitlington, Flockton, Horbury Bridge and Emley."

Martyn Bolt posted some related news links on social media:

Glasshoughton Southern Link Road plans to go on display

Wakefield Eastern Relief Road

Glasshoughton £6m link road: 'Simple solution to ease congestion – stop building everything at Junction 32'

Castleford Growth Corridor Scheme

Transformational Project South Featherstone

West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund

*Cllr. Matthew Morley – Wakefield Council's Cabinet Member for Transport and Highways.

6 November 20196 November 2019

Councils at odds over calls for Bypass

Sitlington Parish Councillors unanimously backed the call for a bypass due to the problems encountered in Netherton and adjoining communities. Cllr. Morley doesn’t it appears, despite an initial meeting seemingly indicating otherwise. It is anticipated that this will soon be questioned by the Parish Council.

Dewsbury and Mirfield Reporter (31 October 2019)

24 October 201924 October 2019

Freedom of Information Request on Flockton Bypass

Cllr. Richard Smith put in a request to Kirklees Council, seeking clarification on their recent statements that applications had been made, relating to a bypass for Flockton Village. Councillors and campaigners had not been aware that requests had been made.

Since the responses are quite lengthy, you can read them in detail here.

Richard says that he intends to rephrase his question and ask again.