Transpennine Route Upgrade: National Rail announces six month closure of road in Dewsbury from January 2025 as works commence

National Rail has announced that part of Thornhill Road in Dewsbury will close to vehicles from the start of January to the end of June 2025.

The closure is to allow for utility diversions to be completed in the area, which will facilitate wider road and track realignments as part of the TRU.

Part of Thornhill Road under the railway bridge will be closed, although access will remain open for pedestrians.

Access will be in place for businesses and residents along Thornhill Road, such as to Child’s Day Play Nursery and Direct Car Credit, from the A644 Huddersfield Road only.

Access to Weaving Lane, including to the Suez recycling centre, and to Calder Bank Road will be in place via Webster Hill/Aldams Road and Savile Road, to rejoin Thornhill Road to the south of the rail bridge.

Part of Fall Lane as well as an additional part of Thornhill Road is also planned to be closed from March to June 2025.

Jonathan Hepton, Project Sponsor for TRU said: “Great progress is already being made in Dewsbury, as we look to improve the speed of services through the area.

“These road closures are necessary to facilitate the next series of upgrades. I’d like to urge anyone who uses this route to check roadworks.org for the latest information and the most up to date diversionary routes.”

Prior to the closure, advance warning signage will be in place, and diversions will be signposted once the road has been closed. Road users are advised to check roadworks.org for the latest information.

National Rail said the rail upgrades will bring line speed improvement, resulting in faster services through West Yorkshire and beyond. Several utility diversions have been carried out and a new retaining wall was recently installed to stabilise the ground before the new road alignment is built.

The works are part of the TRU’s wider plans to “deliver faster, more frequent trains on a cleaner, greener, more reliable railway between Manchester, Leeds, Huddersfield and York.”