Bradford City Centre Urges Public Return as Pedestrianization Works Conclude

The public has been encouraged to return to Bradford city centre as pedestrianization efforts near completion. A substantial amount of the fencing that had transformed the city’s core into a network of roadworks for most of 2024 has been removed, with Hall Ings remaining as the only significant area of ongoing construction. The majority of the project is expected to be finished by the end of the year, although planting in the newly expanded Norfolk Gardens is likely to continue into the new year. Si Cunningham, chair of Bradford Civic Society, remarked: “The people of Bradford have been very patient during the work, but now is the time to come back into town and support the pubs, cafes, and shops.” “It’s very satisfying to see the city’s historic streets opened up again and looking absolutely fantastic after many months of disruption,” Mr Cunningham stated. The Transforming Cities Fund project was initially announced in 2020, when the then Conservative government granted millions to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to help enhance the attractiveness of Bradford city centre. In October, The Victorian Society lauded the pedestrianization work for its contribution to helping “reclaim” the city centre from motorists. As the project winds down, planting has been undertaken in the new public spaces over the past week, including in a raised plaza on Broadway. Planting has also occurred at a new traffic turning circle at the bottom of Sunbridge Road, in a new ground-level planter on Bridge Street – once one of Bradford’s busiest roads – and in front of Bradford’s £50m landmark entertainment venue Bradford Live, which is yet to open. Other recent alterations include the installation of several street benches near Bradford’s former Wool Exchange on Market Street, which are styled to resemble wool crates, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). Mr Cunningham commented: “In my opinion, the city centre looks so much better than it did 10 years ago, so I think the disruption will be worth it in the long run.”