Worries over temporary railway station when main Huddersfield one closes for massive revamp

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Huddersfield Unlimited and Huddersfield Civic Society have voiced concerns about the temporary railway station needed when major renovation work is carried out at the main station in Huddersfield town centre.

The work is part of the mammoth £1.56bn four-year revamp of the line between Huddersfield and Dewsbury.

Huddersfield Railway Station will be shut for two 32-day periods in 2024 and 2025.

Here is the letter that HCS members Chas Ball and Geoff Hughes helped write sent to Network Rail, Kirklees Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and local MPs by Huddersfield Unlimited.

Huddersfield Unlimited is an organisation that champions Huddersfield, its businesses, investors and diverse communities.

Here is the letter in full.

As a business-led organisation championing the interests of the Huddersfield area and acting on behalf of a number of other organisations and residents of Huddersfield we would like to offer some comments on the plan for a temporary location for Huddersfield Railway Station during the TRU works from March to April 2024 and April to May 2025.

Recent news coverage highlights that during the two periods when the normal station location will be closed, a temporary facility will be made available on the former Hillhouses Yard in Alder Street, Huddersfield. During this time, and any other periods of disruption, there will be a need for alternative transport arrangements and there will be a linking bus service provided.

We offer the following comments and request that these points are taken into account when defining the detail of the service, well ahead of the required dates.

Facilities that need to be provided at the temporary location:

1. A bus running only every 30 minutes outside peak hours does not provide much of a service to those using the rail network. This should be increased to provide a frequency of service into the centre.
2. The buses provided should be considered holistically and operate to a route that serves multiple destinations in the town centre, easing the already disrupted journeys being made by those travelling.
3. Significant and well thought through communication needs to be made so passengers are able to plan their journeys accordingly and are not discouraged from using rail during the affected periods.
4. Signposting for traffic to move most effectively to and from the temporary station needs to be in place to minimise road disruption as well as providing suitable car parking at or near the temporary location.
5. The most appropriate cycle and walking routes to and from the temporary station, both along the route to/from Huddersfield town centre and to the nearby Leeds and Bradford Roads, must be well signposted and, where necessary, enhanced by changes to traffic crossing point priorities. Additional lighting for the later evening and early morning periods may be necessary too.

Bus operator issues:

1. One solution is to amend the route of the existing Free Town Bus (FTB) service which serves the central business district and is currently operated by Transdev or to develop a second FTB that complements the existing service.
2. If an FTB service linked the railway station to other stops in the town centre it would make rail travel more attractive. For example, the bus could make stops on the railway station forecourt, the nearby bus station, a central location for university students to access the main campus, Kirklees College main riverside campus, Greenhead College, the theatre.
3. If this service was initiated before the period of station closure it could continue to operate as an expanded FTB service from the temporary station with clear recognition from regular travellers of the service arrangements.
4. Such a service needs to have adequate frequency. At off-peak times, frequencies should be possible to adjust by up to 5 minutes (i.e. when buses are less frequent) so as to coordinate with train arrivals
5. Rail replacement bus services are often minimalist and unattractive. The funds that would be available for this need to be allocated to an attractive service run by competent bus operators with facilities for luggage, pushchairs and wheelchairs.
6. The chosen operator should be contracted to guarantee sufficient vehicles being available, taking into account any potential breakdowns or other related issues. Passengers missing trains or other appointments caused by the lack of service will create significant dissatisfaction.

Delivery concerns:

1. How are people with disabilities being catered for within these arrangements, particularly when considering those with sight defects or the need to use wheelchairs?
2. How are people with pushchairs and luggage to be catered for?
3. As the temporary location is away from the bustle of the town centre, how is the security of the travelling passengers to be maintained. It is essential there be dedicated transport staff on the temporary site throughout at least the full operating time for the trains and buses each day. Also, that there be a dedicated taxi rank.
4. What will be the secure bicycle parking arrangements at the temporary station location? There is significant value in today’s electric bicycles and people need not to be discouraged from using them during the disturbed period.

While making the above comments we recognise there are constraints on public resources when it comes to designing and delivering these schemes, especially temporary ones. However, the provision of a quality service during these and any other necessary periods of disruption will show the commitment to the future provision of a continuing quality integrated transport service. The organisations we work alongside in Huddersfield are committed to supporting the planning and delivery of effective arrangements that benefit the traveling public and the economy, as well as the social and cultural life of the town.

Our objective here is to obtain a better service for Huddersfield during the periods of disruption around the railway station. If we can help facilitate this through constructive engagement with Network Rail or any of the other relevant organisations we will do all we can to assist and communicate the outcome accordingly. Therefore, we offer to facilitate a meeting between the appropriate parties allowing for meaningful debate to take place with the aim of delivering a service which matches the needs of the people of Huddersfield and the wider region during the affected periods.