Purely hypothetical by-pass
From Jason Elliott
Monday, 13 February 2012
Just out of curiousity, as there is often debate on this forum about traffic, signs on pavements, parking issues, the tourism industry etc, I would like to ask the following hypothetical question:
If the valley was wider, which it isn't of course, and there was plenty of space for such a project, who amongst the forum contributors would like a by-pass around Hebden Bridge?
I would put its imaginary start and end points at Walkley's Clogs and Charlestown . . .
From Benny M
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Impractical. This has been looked at before. Aside from land ownership issues, the land on the Mayroyd side is old landfill from local authority waste disposal.
Entry and exits would require massive civil engineering projects which would almost certainly mean long periods of road closures on the valley bottom. Plus the land between the river and canal is wholy unstable, flooding and erosion a major problem.
From Joel B
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
I've often thought about this hypothetically of course. There is a perfect route already in place, it just needs a few barges clearing, emptying of the water then filling with concrete. Voila, one bypass !!
From Christopher Reason
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
David Fletcher suggested this in the Hebden Bridge Times once. His idea involved sacrificing the park!
Here's mine. Give up your car. Life is so much better without one.
From Jenny B
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Purely hypothetically (just in case someone ever uses this feedback as a survey to influence planners!)
An ideal by pass would be any that missed out the traffic jams that are caused by so many lights on New Road; one that avoided the road works at Mytholmroyd; Luddendenfoot; Tomorden; One that let me get to work in the 20 minutes it should take rather than the 1 hour it does take etc etc. How about a flyover?
And I have tried not using the car but, the buses are cold; slower, unreliable and generally full of people that play loud music from their phones; discuss last nights bedroom antics in gory detail over their phones; eat fried food; fart; and cough a lot. Disclaimer: This does not include all passengers of course!
From Jade P
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
There's nothing like, what I assume is an able bodied person, to suggest leaving your car at home. One day without my car and I am bed bound for a week. There is no by pass for that one!
From Christopher Reason
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Fair point, Jade. But the more of us that give up our cars, the more room there is for you.
From Graham Barker
Thursday, 16 February 2012
I'm guessing that Jason is really asking how many people would prefer Hebden Bridge to be a traffic-reduced backwater where there is less to complain about but not much happens because the rest of the world sails by.
Intriguing question. The Pennine Lake Wobegon? To answer, I think I'd need more information about who would want to stay and who go.
From Jason Elliott
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Graham has got it spot on. That is exactly what I'm asking.
From Claire M
Monday, 27 February 2012
Myself and my family would love and really appreciate a bypass. The lorries that come piling through Hebden's narrow main road is utterly ridiculous, unhealthy and a safety risk - the pavements are very narrow, with all of the little children and day trippers, it's just an accident waiting to happen.
Such heavy traffic should and hopefully will one day be diverted.
From Christopher Reason
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Car lovers and car haters alike need to listen to this week's Costing the Earth on Radio 4 (freely available on iPlayer).
From Andy Grant
Friday, 4 May 2012
Hebden Bridge urgently needs a by-pass to take through traffic,especially heavy goods vehicles, away from the narrow, congested streets of the town centre and make them safe for pedestrians and cyclists. If the town were situated in Austria, France, Germany, Italy or Switzerland, a two mile-long tunnel would have been built twenty or thirty years ago from (approximately) Walkley's to Charlestown under Horsehold Hill. However, unfortunately, Hebden Bridge is situated in the good old UK and people will talk about it until the cows come home, but nothing will ever be done, even in the event (heaven forbid) of a major accident. Don't forget that replacement of the Trident missile system is far more important than environmental or transport safety issues, whichever party or parties is/are in power, both locally and nationally.
From Phil M
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
I think a fly-over would be better, we could put solar panels and wind turbines on it!