Link road to be complete by next year?

Motorists could be using a new £7.9m link road in Glass Houghton as early as next year.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/YWNG - 07/01/15 - Press - Glasshoughton Southern Link Road Scheme - Glasshoughton, England - Councillor Dave Dagger at the site of the proposed new Glasshoughton Southern Link Road development.Picture by Allan McKenzie/YWNG - 07/01/15 - Press - Glasshoughton Southern Link Road Scheme - Glasshoughton, England - Councillor Dave Dagger at the site of the proposed new Glasshoughton Southern Link Road development.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/YWNG - 07/01/15 - Press - Glasshoughton Southern Link Road Scheme - Glasshoughton, England - Councillor Dave Dagger at the site of the proposed new Glasshoughton Southern Link Road development.

Transport bosses have agreed work on the Glass Houghton Southern Link Road should be brought forward to help reduce congestion sooner.

The road, which will connect Whistler Drive to the Flass Lane roundabout, was originally planned for 2021 but a report to Wakefield Council’s cabinet said work could begin by the end of the year.

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Wakefield Council leader Coun Peter Box said: “The Glass Houghton scheme is in the early days and is subject to all the usual planning procedures.

“However, I believe it will bring significant benefits to the Glass Houghton area, not only in terms of opening up development sites that may have otherwise not have come forward, but also delivering benefits to relieve congestion and improve the road network in the area.”

The road, which will be funded through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, is designed to ease congestion around Xscape and Colorado Way and support traffic accessing new developments at the Glass Houghton Colliery site and Five Towns Park.

Coun David Dagger, Wakefield Council’s cabinet member for transport and highways, said: “This road will help ease traffic in the area. It can be horrendous depending on what day and time you go up there.”

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The road would also open up further land for employment and residential uses and contribute to regeneration in the five towns. Council bosses say it could also generate around 3,200 jobs and bring £28.9m to the local economy.

Wakefield Council’s cabinet will meet to discuss the link road plans on Tuesday, March 8.

The council needs to secure the land for the road and the cabinet is asked to approve compulsory purchase powers if an agreement with current landowners cannot be reached.

A report to the meeting said: “The Glass Houghton Southern Link Road is the critical new transport infrastructure needed in Castleford, essential to reduce congestion on the existing highway network and unlock wider housing and development areas.”

It said the road could assist in the delivery of 1,300 homes and create 1,000 construction jobs.

A planning application will be submitted later this year.