Hope at last for motorists as Calderdale road hell set to end
Plus, Chris Martin at the Puzzle Hall and Lakeland fumes at ref as Shaymen lose
Hello and welcome to The Calderdale Lead.
I hope you’ve all been having a great weekend and perhaps had the chance to do some celebrity spotting across Calderdale.
We certainly know of one global megastar who has been popping up across the borough - Coldplay’s Chris Martin treated fans to a special show at the wonderful Puzzle Hall pub in Sowerby Bridge on Thursday night. We’ve got a video below.
Also in today’s edition, we finally have some good traffic and travel news! Yorkshire Water has confirmed that it is nearly finished with the repairs it is doing to the road between Todmorden and Hebden Bridge! (Nearly being the operative word - full details below!)
Plus, Halifax Town suffered a second straight defeat in the National League as they went down 2-1 at Wealdstone. It’s fair to say that boss Adam Lakeland wasn’t impressed with the referee’s decision to send off striker Will Harris early in the game.
We’ve got full reaction below.
So, on with the news…
Yorkshire Water says end to Halifax Road repairs in sight
By Andrew Greaves and John Greenwood
It’s caused traffic misery for months but repairs to Halifax Road between Todmorden and Hebden Bridge are FINALLY coming to an end.
The section of road, at Charlestown, has been reduced to one-lane-only for much of the last six months and motorists have also had to endure a complete closure at times as well.
But now Yorkshire Water says the final stage of the repairs and reinstatement to the A646 Halifax Road will be completed on the weekend beginning on Friday, September 5.
Initially closed from before Christmas 2024 and through January, plus another ten day spell in February, following a major sewer collapse, the route has been limited to one lane only since then.
Final repairs will necessitate another couple of limited spells of the whole road being closed over a weekend in early September.
Working with Calderdale Council, it will entail overnight closure of the road between Underbank Avenue and Stoney Lane on Friday, September 5, from 11.30pm until 5.30am on Saturday, September 6.
The road will then close again from 11.30pm on Saturday, September 6, and reopen on Sunday, September 7, at 5.30am.
In both instances the road should be reopened before the first bus of the day.
A signed diversion will be in place during the overnight road closure.
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: “This represents the final piece of what has been a challenging repair taking several months.
“We apologise the inconvenience that this has caused local residents and business and thank them for their patience as we, undertook this complex and lengthy repair.”
The time the repair has taken has come under fire on local social media.
The road closed on December 13 after a sewer collapsed, following which Yorkshire Water have carried out major work to repair the sewer and a Calderdale Council-owned leaking culvert.
A similar issue has happened before, when the road also had to be closed – more than 50 year ago, back in 1972.
VIDEO: Coldplay’s Chris Martin stuns pub goers with gig in Sowerby Bridge
By Andrew Greaves
It’s not every day that a global superstar turns up at your local pub and starts playing a secret gig.
But on Thursday night, Chris Martin did just that in Sowerby Bridge, treating fans to an hour-long set at the famed Puzzle Hall Inn.
The BBC reports that people were queuing up outside the famed pub - well known for its live music programme - in their pyjamas and slippers.
Here’s a glimpse at what happened:
Martin apparently has family in Calderdale and was later seen visiting other pubs - but not singing - on Friday night.
Coldplay play Hull’s Craven Park Stadium tomorrow and Tuesday.
‘Red card changed game’: Town boss not happy at early dismissal as Shaymen falter
By Andrew Greaves
Halifax Town boss Adam Lakeland felt the early decision to dismiss his striker Will Harris for a high boot was the wrong call.
The Shaymen suffered a 2-1 defeat at Wealdstone yesterday to leave them without a single point on the board after two National League games.
Harris was sent for an early bath in the 14th minute for what the referee judged to be a high boot as the striker challenged for a ball in midfield.
Town should have been a goal to the good by that point, but Jamie Cooke missed a fourth minute penalty after Josh Hmami was brought down in the box.
The home side took advantage of their extra man soon after Harris’ dismissal, Sean Adarkwa fired past Town goalkeeper Sam Johnson for the opening goal of the game.
Sub David Kawa equalised for Halifax on 35 minutes, the summer signing notching his first goal for the club, reacting first to a knock-down from a Cody Johnson free kick.
Wealdstone captain Jack Cook struck a 25-yard beauty nine minutes into the second half to seal victory for the hosts, despite a late rally from the Shaymen.
Boss Lakeland though felt the game turned on the early decision.
He told The Halifax Courier: "I felt it was unnecessary for him to dismiss him. The game's then completely different to what it was and I think the game's worse for it.
“He's made a genuine attempt to play the ball, the lad's put his head there to win the ball, but it's completely spun the game because I felt we started the better team.
"We missed a penalty, which is unbelievably disappointing, and it just completely changes the entire game.
"It's hard enough coming away from home in this league when it's 11 v 11 but when you've got to play 80 minutes with ten, it's incredibly difficult.
"And then on top of that, we're pretty much a new team, but I thought we showed tremendous character and grit, resilience, willingness to work and stay in the game.
"And I'm disappointed for the players that we haven't got something out of it because I absolutely felt we deserved some kind of result, and that's really frustrating."
Town face a trip to Boston United on Tuesday before finally getting their home league campaign under way at The Shay on Saturday against Forest Green.
That’s it for this edition - thanks for reading!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and we’ll be back in your inboxes on Wednesday.
Andrew