THE first details of a major highways scheme to improve traffic between Shipley and Bradford have been revealed.

The £42 million scheme will include widening much of the Canal Road Corridor, creating new cycle and bus routes, making rail stations in Shipley, Frizinghall and Bradford more accessible, and improving a number of major junctions, including Fox Corner in Shipley.

Although the scheme has been in the pipeline for some time, details have only just been made public, as planning consultants WYG have submitted a “screening opinion” to Bradford Council. Rather than being a full planning application, it is a brief outline of the scheme, issued so the Council can provide details of the types of reports and surveys will need to be included in any future applications.

It also reveals that work on the ambitious scheme is due to start in 2020, and residents are due to be consulted on the proposals in the coming months.

The project, dubbed the Bradford to Shipley Corridor Transport Improvement Project is being funded by the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund, and includes 4.6 kilometres of road.

The application shows there will be two main strands to the project. A “yellow route” which includes Canal Road and Valley Road, will see work to improve capacity on one of the district’s busiest stretches of road.

It would include much of the route becoming either a dual carriageway or four lane road.

A “green route” would involve more sustainable transport between Shipley and the city centre, mainly along Bradford Road/Keighley Road/Manningham Lane. This would include more bus and cycle lanes, as well as better pedestrian facilities.

Earlier this year Bradford Council purchased The Branch pub on Otley Road in Shipley, demolishing the building to make way for part of the scheme - work on the Bradford Road/Otley Road junction.

Other junction improvement works listed on the application include the Queens Road/Kings Road junction, Otley Road/Valley Road and Oak Lane.

The scheme would also link to other proposed infrastructure works, with the map included in the application referring to a proposed Shipley Eastern Link Road and a proposed tram/train strategy, proposed to link key sites in West Yorkshire.

The document says: “The scheme aims to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and increase road safety. A key local benefit to the scheme will be improvements to green spaces along the route, providing pockets of wildlife and pleasant walking paths which can be used by residents.”

It says the main objectives of the plan are to reduce traffic congestion and journey times, “assist the delivery of new homes, extension of employment space and creation of new jobs,” improve road safety, improve air quality and encourage the use of “sustainable” transport like buses and cycling.”

People will be able to see details of the proposed scheme online through the Combined Authority engagement hub, at www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk from Friday until Friday 8 February and in person at four drop-in sessions.

These drop-in sessions, which are a chance to meet the project team and ask questions will take place from:

• 10am to 2pm at City Hall Foyer on Monday 21 January

• 10am to 2pm at Bradford Interchange Foyer on Thursday 24 January

• 3pm to 7pm at the Tesco Superstore, Peel Centre, Valley Road on Monday 28 January

• 10am to 2pm at Shipley Library on Saturday 2 February

There will also be unstaffed displays at Bradford City Hall Foyer, the Peel Centre Tesco Superstore and Shipley Library between Friday 14 December and Friday 8 February.