Pendle

Colne town centre highway improvements and bus priority

Colne town centre including Church Street, Market Street, Craddock Road, Windy Bank and the Bus Station.

Proposals: Improvements to the highway network in Colne town centre to improve bus movements.

The main element of the proposals is to change Craddock Road to operate two-way traffic and centralise access to bus services at a reconfigured bus station, whilst maintaining general access to the town centre.

To facilitate this change, new traffic signals, with intelligent bus priority built in, would be installed at the eastern end of the town at the junction of Market Street, Skipton Road, Keighley Road and Craddock Road.

At the western end of the town, a small clockwise gyratory would be maintained, to assist traffic flows, using Church Street, Colne Lane, Craddock Road and Walton Street.

Windy Bank would be made bus only southbound between High Street and Market Street, except for access to Windy Bank Car Park, to prevent larger unsuitable vehicles using this road.  Access to the town centre for general traffic would be maintained by utilising Norfolk Street and Dockray Street.  Windy Bank would still be open to all traffic northbound from Market Street.

Other proposed elements of the scheme include the improved pedestrian access to the bus station by closing off traffic to Parliament Street from Market Street.  Access to the car park would be maintained from the two-way Craddock Road.  Additionally, to assist blind & partially sighted pedestrians a new traffic signal-controlled crossing would be installed near the market.

Progress: The first phase of stakeholder engagement took place in late 2023, with initial discussions with local representatives on the original concept plans to introduce a sustainable transport corridor through the centre of Colne along Market Street.

Constructive feedback was received, and the proposals have been adapted to focus on maintaining traffic movements within Colne town centre with improved bus priority and making better use of the bus station, in partnership with Pendle Borough Council, for the coordination of services.

Proposed delivery to take place around March 2025.

Find out more:

The proposed scheme is detailed on the concept plan above.

Wider stakeholder comments and feedback can be made to our Bus Service Improvement Plan email address BSIP@lancashire.gov.uk by Friday 12 April 2024.

Any responses or feedback received will be assessed and incorporated into the proposals where possible.

We will add details of the formal Traffic Regulation Orders here in due course.