Holmfirth Town Centre improvements - Traffic Updates

As you will know there are currently major improvements underway in the Town centre of Holmfirth.  A local resident, and business owner, Isobel Heeley is liaising with the council and their team to provide local residents with updates about planned works and where they will take place.  Isobel has kindly allowed us to copy the posts she makes on the Holmfirth Community Page on Facebook.  Each time she posts an update we will put it on this page for those of you who do not connect to Facebook. 

 

UPDATE 5 - HOLMFIRTH MARKET HALL ROAD WORKS.

Week 11/72 - 30.9.24

This is just to pick-up on/clarify some points raised following my last update:

•  Some large vehicles (artics/large tractors) have found the slight narrowing of Huddersfield Rd heading out of Holmfirth in between Piccolinio’s Car Park and Country Gent Tattoo Studio very tight. (1. On image below) This is temporary. It will be resolved when the road is re-surfaced and the new central line is adjusted accordingly.  The kerb will also be less obtrusive when the rest of the pavement on that side of the road is completed. (This work will be carried out at the end of the project.) 
• In the meantime congestion could be reduced if drivers heading towards the lights DO NOT STOP IN THE NO ENTRY YELLOW GRID BOX outside Country Gent.  If the grid is left unobstructed then large vehicles have room to navigate the protruding kerb.
•  On the topic of No entry yellow grid boxes: Reynolds are “contracted to re-surface the roads and provide new lining including the no entry yellow grid boxes” throughout the centre.
•  The zebra crossings are to be replaced with new signalised crossings and so will not be repainted before.
•  There has been concern expressed that adjustments to the pavements around the junction Victoria St and Huddersfield Rd (2 on image below) will make the junction too narrow for large vehicles. I have spoken to the construction company who wish me to reassure you that:
•  i) Adjustments to the pavement width are very small and the width of the road will actually be slightly wider when work is completed!
•  Whilst the pavement from Charlie's bar to Piccolino’s car park is to be widened (by 400mm to give 1.2m width) , the pavement on the opposite side of the road (Peak Footware/Kutchenhaus/Reef & Co) will move back by approx the same amount. (The work on this section is estimated to take 2 weeks)
•  ii) The kerb outside Charlie’s Bar will be rounded a little to give easier turning room.
•  iii) The kerb from The Cheese Shop to Nellie’s Keepsakes will not increase in width. It will get new Yorkshire stone kerbs.  This work is estimated to take 3-4 weeks and has started now. 
• There is a correction to my last update the third phase - widening the pavement from Charlie’s Bar to Piccolino’s Car Park will not happen at this stage but will be a lot later in the project.
•  DELAYS: At 8.30 this morning traffic was flowing freely - however, yesterday the temporary traffic lights did cause some delays. The traffic management team are constantly watching and tweaking the timings (I’m told the lights are currently running at exactly the same timing sequence as the main lights were). However the narrowing of the road is unavoidable.

The construction company are doing everything they can to listen and respond to your concerns quickly and effectively.  I can’t fault them.

Please stay patient.  Holmfirth shops need your support now to survive through until the New Year!  “SHOP LOCAL OR BYE BYE LOCAL”

Give yourself extra time,  if you don’t want to look like a fool -

- don’t enter the no entry yellow grid boxes unless there is space for you at the other side of the box and -don’t go through the temporary lights on red - the timing sequence means you’ll be caught out and you’ll block the traffic 😳

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED GOOD GRACE, POSITIVITY AND SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THESE POSTS - you are doing a great job and it is very much appreciated! 🙏

HOLMFIRTH MARKET HALL ROAD WORKS UPDATE  - Week 9/72 - 23/9/24

GOOD NEWS: Reflection

 - Schools have re-opened with none of the feared traffic chaos - in fact - no problem at all from the Market Hall road works!

 - CR Reynolds went above and beyond to clear (and even sweep) Hollowgate in time for the Food Festival. They had to put everything back again on Monday.  Big shout out for them!

 - No traffic flow issues from the road works on Victoria Street.  I know there were some problems for deliveries and regarding taxis - but these issues were resolved as soon as Reynolds were made aware.

 - Despite the discovery of an unmapped gas pipe, and several cellars underground on the north side (Magic Rock) of Victoria St work continues on track, with just a couple of days delay.  Due to the latter, the proposed Disabled Parking bay and Delivery Bay will be delayed.

 - Foot fall in Holmfirth remains high - A MASSIVE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY!  It is vital to small businesses that you continue to support them over the Christmas period.  PLEASE SHOP LOCAL!

NEXT PHASE - This may cause traffic flow issues for the next few weeks!

• On the 20th Sept work will pause on the north side of Victoria St and switch to the south side to tidy up that side. This should be completed by end of Friday and road cleared of cones etc…
• On the 24th/25th work will begin to widen the pavement from the Cheese Shop to Nellie’s Keepsake Co. This will involve temporary traffic lights outside Nellie’s onto Victoria St below the yellow box (outside Patten Principle). I estimate approx 2 weeks for this work dependent on any issues arising.

 

I will advise specific dates for the following as we get to them:

The next two phases will involve widening the pavements from the Library to Reef & Co.  This will see road narrowing as has been seen before on Huddersfield Rd,  the disconnection of the main traffic lights and temporary lights.

Then widening of pavements on the south corner of Victoria St - Charlie’s Bar to Piccolino’s Car Park are to be widened.  Road narrowing as above

This may cause traffic flow issues and make turning into and out of Victoria Street very tight for large vehicles.  Reynolds will have a Traffic Management Officer on site to monitor and respond.

THERE WILL BE NO ROAD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT (CONES, BARRIERS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS) from 27th NOVEMBER UNTIL 8th JANUARY This is to help people enjoy the Christmas period.