Letter to Hebden Bridge Times
Dear Editor
As the Calderdale Councillors for Hebden Bridge, we hope that many of your readers will take up the opportunity to have their say on the full pedestrianisation of Bridge Gate as outlined on your recent front page (20 July).
The original plans for this area were to cut down the amount of traffic on Bridge Gate by making it accessible only to buses. This was largely at the request of the bus operators and Metro but changes in the bus services to the town mean that this is no longer a priority for them. Therefore there is now the opportunity to consider the full pedestrianisation of this street (though still allowing early morning deliveries to the shops).
Recent Arts Festival activities took place on the paved area of Bridge Gate and were particularly enjoyable and received positive comments. We would like to see such activities in this part of Hebden Bridge take place on a regular basis and look forward to better accessibility for everyone ? including families with children, people in wheelchairs, and so on.
However, local businesses and residents have concerns about these issues and it is right that everyone has their say. Calderdale Council officers have been diligent in keeping closely involved in this scheme, listening to local people and responding to their comments and we are sure this will continue as the scheme moves towards completion.
We urge interested people to get in touch and make their views known.
Cllr Janet Battye, Cllr Nader Fekri and Cllr Michael Taylor
(Liberal Democrat, Calder ward)
