Bradford Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, has launched a major public consultation on a flagship programme of forwarding-thinking transport and place-making schemes to drive forward Bradford’s future regeneration.

The four proposed schemes would create a more attractive and pleasant civic centre for the district, designed for people to mill about, enjoy outdoor cafes and events, and meet friends and family. The proposals would also substantially improve transport infrastructure across Bradford so that people can get around more easily via sustainable forms of travel, including walking, cycling and public transport.

Bradford Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s transformative programme will comprise the following schemes:

• Improvements to the city centre environment and introducing new walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure
• A new and improved pedestrianised approach to Bradford Interchange
• An extension to the Leeds-Bradford Cycle Superhighway to the west of Bradford along Thornton Road
• A new Park and Ride site adjacent to Junction 2 of the M606, with complementary Bus Expressway and cycle route along Manchester Road

The plans follow a successful bid submitted by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Bradford Council to the Department of Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF). The Leeds City Region TCF programme, which is being delivered by the Combined Authority in partnership with local authorities, will be funded through £317 million from the Department for Transport (DfT) plus local match funding up to £140 million. Through TCF and complementing existing programmes, Bradford Council has been indicatively allocated around £80 million to deliver transport infrastructure and regeneration schemes to transform the city.

In a bid to reshape Bradford as a cleaner, more sustainable and future-ready district, the schemes will deliver a series of transport infrastructure improvements – making walking and cycling safer and more convenient, and public transport more reliable.

The improvements will include new largely segregated cycleways connecting people to key areas of employment, major improvements to public spaces in the city centre with new greenery, and changes to public transport infrastructure across the district. The plans would also produce a more vibrant and cleaner city centre through the removal of through traffic from key civic areas helping improve air quality, and making walking and cycling more accessible between shopping and leisure areas.

The proposed changes are expected to supercharge the regeneration of Bradford, maximising the district’s architectural legacy and diverse culture, linking new leisure venues to the core of the city, and attracting investment to create a city in which people will want to live, work and spend their leisure time. The schemes will also help Bradford to achieve its ambition to become the UK’s leading clean growth district and a zero-carbon economy by 2038.

Bradford Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority are keen to hear the public’s views on the proposed schemes before they are further developed later in the year. The public consultation on the proposed schemes is now underway and the feedback received will be used to help to shape the proposals.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said: “Bradford’s Transforming Cities Fund programme will be essential to reducing car use and congestion across the city, improving the health of our residents and helping us to achieve our aim of becoming the UK’s leading clean growth district.

“Bradford is a district with a young and diverse demographic and a lot of potential. The schemes being brought forward will ensure we make the most of what Bradford has to offer, stimulating regeneration across the district and attracting further investment.”

Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “In my manifesto, I committed to improving public transport and helping tackle the climate emergency on our way to becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038.

“Transformational schemes such as these being proposed in Bradford, combined with our efforts to improve public transport across West Yorkshire, will provide more people with more opportunity to choose to travel sustainably, whilst improving the civic landscape for all to enjoy. I would encourage everyone to take part in this important consultation.”