EPIKS is working with Network Rail as part of the Trans Pennine Route Upgrade to discover how we can help people travel to and from Huddersfield Railway Station without the use of a car. Transport contributes 40% of all UK carbon emissions and the forthcoming developments in Huddersfield town centre and stadium will result in more visitors, so we are looking into the future to see how congestion and pollution can be reduced.
Over 100,000 people live and work within a 3km radius of Huddersfield Station and the Trans Pennine Route Upgrade is set to provide a marked improvement in rail transport. If active travel is steadily increased over the next few years, there is real potential for Huddersfield to become a cleaner, less polluted and healthier destination for residents, visitors and investors.
What we’ll do
EPIKS will be working with local people in 2025 to find out how people travel to and from the rail network and asking how they could be helped to walk and cycle more. Engagement will take a varied approach to understanding what is required for “locally-appropriate modal shift.” What does that mean? It means getting more of us to do more of our journeys without using a car. There will be participatory activities from a new Huddersfield Active Travel Hub; consultations and co-designs with sophisticated online platforms and the establishment of popular routes identified by local people.
Chas Ball, Volunteer Director for EPIKS has been working tirelessly to create better opportunities for walking, wheeling and riding in the area for years. As well as facilitating improvements to the blue-green infrastructure around Huddersfield, the growing team of staff at EPIKS are working hard to give people more access and skills for cycling and walking.
Chas said, ‘We’re working to find out exactly how we can help people to travel without the use of a car in and out of Huddersfield. By engaging with people in all sectors of the community, we’ll be able to build up a range of routes that others can follow to make the first and last mile to the rail network a successful alternative.
There are many potential routes leading to Huddersfield Town Centre that incorporate blue-green infrastructure that are stunning and can really improve commuters’ quality of life. But either they are not known about or need to be linked to popular walking and cycling routes. Some just need a bit of TLC to keep them open and clear, and make them feel safer for everyone and we’ll be looking at that too. We are going to tap into local knowledge and explore ways to raise the profile of active and blended travel. We know we don’t have all the answers, but by getting out there and asking the right questions and empowering local people to make a difference we expect this work to create the conditions in which people can make travel choices that have less impact on the planet.”
Have your say
Thanks to some initial funding support from West Yorkshire Combined Authority, in September 2024 we held a public consultation for a few hours on a Friday afternoon on George Square in Huddersfield. 56 people filled out our survey and talked with us about what would encourage them to walk, wheel or cycle to Huddersfield Railway Station.
They told us that secure bike lanes and safe walking, wheeling and riding routes routes were really important, as was secure bicycle parking at or near the station. Access to a low-cost bike was an issue for some people and there was also interest in bike lessons and training.
We’ll be running more consultations over the next few months, in person and online- watch out on here and on our Facebook page and Instagram for details !
In the mean time, we’re always keen to hear people’s thoughts on how we can help people walk, wheel and ride- just send an email to
