A section of towpath at Saltaire which was upgraded in earlier in the year Work on the towpath was carried out in partnership with the Canal and River Trust the waterways charity that looks after the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Muddy potholes have been smoothed over with a new asphalt surface so the route is now accessible for wheelchairs and mobility scooters between Hirst Lock in Saltaire and Primrose Lane in Bingley to meet national guidelines for accessibility A before (left) and after (right) of a section of path resurfaced with asphalt before the tar spray and chip is laid in spring 2025 In spring 2025 the team will return to apply the final ‘tar spray and chip’ similar to the finishing surface laid on the towpath past Salts Mill The work is all part of the national programme led by Sustrans and funded by Active Travel England to improve the quality of the National Cycle Network and make it accessible for everyone This section of the towpath is popular for people walking and cycling to work including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire An example on another section of the route of the 'tar spray and chip' surface which will be added in spring 2025 Network Development Manager at Sustrans said: “We’re really happy to be able to reopen the towpath in time for the Christmas holidays This historic and scenic towpath is a very popular route for all ages so we’re delighted to be able to make it accessible to many more people “The new surface makes it much easier for people using wheelchairs and the wider sections allow for different users to enjoy the route at the same time “This stretch of towpath between Bingley and Shipley is a fantastic route for heritage and nature The work is part of our Paths for Everyone programme to help improve the quality of the National Cycle Network and link it better with places people want to go to.” which will receive a 'tar spray and chip' layer in spring 2025 Enterprise Manager at Canal & River Trust said: “Research shows that spending time by water is good for our physical and mental health "These improvements to the towpath are important because it will make it easier for people to access the wonderful Leeds & Liverpool Canal on their doorstep we’re incredibly grateful for the funding that makes these improvements possible for the benefit of the local communities the canal runs through especially as our charity’s public funding has been significantly reduced."It’s great to see how much local people value the canal: their support is vital so that we can continue to protect and preserve our historic waterways to keep them open and alive for years to come.” Planning & Transport at Bradford Council said: “It’s great to see the latest upgrade to the Leeds & Liverpool canal towpath has been completed and it really complements the earlier work between Shipley and Saltaire "This is a very popular route for visitors and local residents and is a great boost for the canal in time for our celebrations as UK City of Culture in 2025.”  which currently runs from Leeds to Bingley and links to route 66 to Bradford Previous accessibility and surface upgrades were carried out on the route between Shipley and Saltaire and from the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds to Woodlesford Find out more about upgrades between Saltaire and Bingley Find out more about Sustrans’ Paths for Everyone programme Towpath through Saltaire World Heritage Site upgraded Upgrade for historic Shipley to Saltaire towpath How Saltaire became one of the first 15 minute neighbourhoods Leeds to Saltaire Sign up now to hear more about our latest news Sustrans is committed to fundraising in a way which is legal, open, honest and respectful. Read our fundraising promise Sustrans is a registered charity in England and Wales (326550) and Scotland (SC039263) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England (1797726) at 2 Cathedral Square Housebuilder Avant Homes West Yorkshire is set to bring a brand-new residential development to Bingley after securing planning permission for a £23.2m project will be transformed into Five Rise Quarter featuring 93 new homes designed with both practicality and energy efficiency in mind with 12 of Avant Homes’ thoughtfully designed house types available helping to provide options for a wide range of buyers Pricing details for the homes will be announced at a later date Work on Five Rise Quarter is scheduled to begin in April 2025 with the first residents expected to move in by March 2026 The development is set to attract buyers looking for high-quality new homes in a well-connected location offering easy access to both the nearby countryside and major cities like Leeds and Bradford Avant Homes West Yorkshire managing director Richard Hosie said: “As a housebuilder we aim to provide quality new homes for everyone in locations where people want to live “Five Rise Quarter is an excellent example of this action The development will deliver a range of practically designed energy-efficient new homes for a range of buyers looking to move in or to Bingley “Bingley’s excellent location to nearby countryside and being within commuting distance to both Leeds and Bradford make it a great place to call home “We’re very pleased that planning has been granted for Five Rise Quarter and now look forward to starting work to deliver this new thriving community.” With a reputation for building homes that combine modern design with practical living Avant Homes aims to create a welcoming and sustainable community in Bingley interest is expected to grow among prospective buyers eager to secure a home in this promising new development For more information, visit www.avanthomes.co.uk Keep up to date with the latest happenings from across Yorkshire with our weekly newsletter who was the Minister for Start for Life until last July and responsible for rolling out the Family Hub and Start for Life programme across England has recently established The Leadsom Foundation which aims to provide grant funding to charities that provide support services to new families in Family Hubs across England and alongside commissioning academic research into what works best in the early years sector and advocating around the world for the vital importance of the 1001 Critical Days (pregnancy to age 2) young people and their families can go when they need support Hubs support families from pregnancy right up until their child is 19 The visit included meeting with the charities and voluntary services which provide support at Bingley Family Hub to get a full picture on the support offered new and expectant mothers when breastfeeding and how the local community are encouraged to take up the services on offer. Denise Williams Family Hubs for City of Wolverhampton Council said: “It was fantastic to be able to welcome Dame Leadsom to Bingley Family Hub and highlight the outstanding work being done there by our staff We were very pleased to show what goes on at the Hub to support local families “There were representatives on the day from our support group for fathers Proud Parents for parents from the LGBTQ community along with First Abide CIC a mental health and emotional wellbeing support service tailored to support parents and carers at all stages of their parenting journey which delivers interactive parent support workshops designed to empower parents and caregivers in a supportive environment where they can share experiences and build confidence in navigating family life in collaboration with Friendly Faces CIC a disability services and support organisation dedicated to empowering disabled individuals “Also present were representatives from Aspiring Futures women led social enterprise which helps women to have the confidence skills and courage to follow their aspirations and I Hear You a recipient of the Family Hubs Small Grant scheme health and wellbeing and therapeutic support from April 2025.” said: “It was wonderful to see the huge commitment and passion of the staff and volunteers in the Hub I met some of the parents with their gorgeous babies and heard how much they value the help and support they receive I would encourage every Wolverhampton family to visit their local Family Hub!”  several housing and industrial estates have sprung up in the vicinity of the club who play in the semi-professional Bradford Premier League without issue."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Yet a relatively modern and banal office block where about 2,000 bank employees of Bradford & Bingley worked until the 2008 financial crisis led to its collapse is now the focus of one of the more quirky planning wrangles in recent years it has caught the eye of the prime minister "},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The office block the head of"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":125})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The government is just “reorganising the deckchairs” with its plan to abolish NHS England the head of the civil service"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":145})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The government is just “reorganising the deckchairs” with its plan to abolish NHS England the head of the civil service union has said."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Dave"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":160})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The government is just “reorganising the deckchairs” with its plan to abolish NHS England the head of the civil service union has said."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Dave Penman general"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":175})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The government is just “reorganising the deckchairs” with its plan to abolish NHS England general secretary of the"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":225})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The government is just “reorganising the deckchairs” with its plan to abolish NHS England The TimesDevelopers of a site next to Crossflatts Cricket Club are required to conduct a cricket ball risk assessment before work can proceedLEE MCLEANMark ListerThursday March 13 2025 The TimesCrossflatts Cricket Club have played on their ground on the outskirts of Bingley Yet a relatively modern and banal office block where about 2,000 bank employees of Bradford & Bingley worked until the 2008 financial crisis led to its collapse The office block, referred to during a speech by Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday as an example of how development can be stymied by “a cottage industry