Bradford District Local Infrastructure Baseline Study - working draft ...

• Bradford (Eccleshill), Victoria Road, Ecceshill, Bradford
• Bradford (Heaton), Fairfield Street, Heaton, Bradford
• Keighley, Sepncer Street, Keighley
1.12 Canals
British Waterways Yorkshire looks after around 270 miles of inland waterways, covering an
area which stretches from South Yorkshire to the River Tees in the North East.
BW encourages people to use the waterways for both leisure and tourism, as well as making
sure the navigation channels remain safe and open. At the same time BW manages its
property portfolio and works closely with local authorities, developers and a whole host of
other organisations to make sure we get the best benefits from waterside land and property.
BW also works with companies to make sure that the region’s waterways are used for
freight, where it is feasible.
Within Bradford District, British Waterways manages the River Aire and the Leeds Liverpool
Canal.
British Waterways are working with Bradford Council on an ambitious scheme to reopen
Bradford Canal after more than 80 years and create a stunning waterfront in the centre of
the city, linked to the suburbs to attract regeneration.
Initial feasibility work has been encouraging and has led to further studies looking at how the
construction of a canal will benefit the area. The Bradford Canal opened and joined the
Leeds & Liverpool Canal in 1774 but now only the Northern end with a pack horse bridge
and toll house remains visible.
Bradford is one of only a few British cities which does not have a waterfront and the initiative
could be a first step in creating not only an attractive waterfront but would also contribute
towards connecting the city centre with Shipley, the Aire Valley and the Leeds & Liverpool
Canal.
2.0 Major Transport Issues and Investment Gaps
The Bradford District Transport Strategy 2006-2021 has highlighted the locational transport
issues in Bradford in detail. I also has identified key investment gaps and set out investment
priorities for infrastructure development across different parts of the district. The strategy
recognises the role of demand management as a complementary approach to overcome the
deficiency but urges that this alone is not a convincing approach and direct investment into
key transport infrastructure is therefore essential. A summary of the main transport
infrastructure issues and investment priorities as set out in the strategy are outlined below-
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