Transport
We introduced the first proposal to remove traffic movements/ pedestrianise parts of Hebden Bridge in the mid 1990s.  Now it's finally due on site in 2006; artist's impression of what St George's Square could look like.

This year we have been campaigning against the Council's decision to remove an important section of buslane on Huddersfield Road, in the teeth of opposition from everyone else (even their own officers objected!) and without having any evidence to justify their decision.  November 2005 Calderdale Council has to declare an Air Quality Management Area on Huddersfield Road - because of rising traffic pollution - as we said they would have to.

NEW Feb 2006  7th Feb Halifax Courier Fury over new bus lane plan  The extensive package of new bus lanes and other bus priority measures was approved by the Calderdale Cabinet Mon 13th, and we have sent a congratulatory message of support.  This vindicates our campaign against buslane removal last year Here we go again ... after working away, largely in secret, to implement a new road junction scheme at Hipperholme that would have flattened the surrounding area, the Council had to abandon their plans earlier this year when costs soared from the original £1.25million ... to £4million ... and finally to £6-7million.  Now, what turns up in the Provisional Local Transport Plan 2006-11 (page 3-20), but proposals for another hugely expensive road scheme, this time at Church Street, Halifax.

Ostensibly costing £2million, we have already found out that the actual cost is £4million (the 2nd half of the expenditure would be incurred after 2011), all of which would be taken away from better value and better performing local safey and management schemes across all of Calderdale.

We'll be investigating further and campaigning hard against this waste of money. 10th Feb Halifax Courier  New speed limits will be brought in on busy roads 2nd Feb Extra carriages for the Calder Valley rail line, courtesy of Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency ... for all the Friends of the Earth briefings on transport; and for uptodate news about transport.