Alerts 79 Bus

Calderdale district

Sandbeds Road and Highroad Well Lane, Halifax

Dates effective: starting Monday 26th October (during half term) but ending Tuesday 3rd November 2026.

Details: a long stretch of Sandbeds Road down along Highroad Well Lane to a point just before Paddock Lane will be fully closed.

Diversions for school services: services are not expected to be affected. The road will be closed all day during the half term period but from Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd November the works will be restricted to between 09:00 and 15:30. 


Paddock Lane, Halifax

Dates effective: Monday 9th November to Friday 20th November.

Details: a stretch of Paddock Lane will be fully closed close to the turn onto Vicar Park Road.

Diversions for school services: 

C30 St Mary's Primary will not operate around Vicar Park Road/Paddock Lane. AM, the service will operate as usual from Pellon Lane as far as the roundabout at Highroad Well Lane/Paddock Lane then continue along Highroad Well Lane, along Roils Head Road to the bus turning circle, back along Roils Head Road then onward via Gibbet Street as usual. PM from school as usual as far as Gibbet Street then reverse of the AM diversion via Roils Head Road and the bus turning circle, Highroad Well Lane then as the usual route to Pellon Lane.

Passengers who normally board/alight along Vicar Park Road or Paddock Lane should use alternative stops along Roils Head Road or Highroad Well Lane - please make alternative arrangements directly with the driver so they may adjust their register.


Smithy Lane, Colden [updated 16th October 14:45]

Dates effective: from the morning of Monday 7th September until further notice, expected to be Sunday 18th October, 2026. Update as at 16th October: the utility company has requested an extension for the works beyond the 18th. Services will continue to observe the diversions below from Monday 19th until further notice.

Details: a stretch of Smithy Lane between Fold Lane and Colden Junior School will be closed to all traffic for works by Yorkshire Water.

Diversions for school services: Calder High C86 will start/terminate at Smithy Lane Estate. Colden Junior School P87 will also start/terminate at Smithy Lane Estate with riders walked between the bus and school. The part of either route between Smithy Lane Estate and Blackshaw Head cannot be served.


Scammonden Bridge, Saddleworth Road, Krumlin

Dates effective: delayed pending further announcement

Details: Scammonden Bridge across the M62 to be closed to all traffic.

Updated 17th April 2026 09:50: the closure of the bridge has been delayed pending further revision of the works and the dates they will be effective. The S4 will operate the full route until the revised dates have been announced and come into effect.


Sowerby New Road/Quarry Hill area, Sowerby Bridge

Dates effective:  commencing from Tuesday 5th May for the next few months until works completed.

Details: a set of works beginning on Quarry Hill then progressing in stages toward Sowerby Street then Sowerby New Road will begin from the 5th May 2026. When the works are taking place along Quarry Hill and Sowerby Street, traffic will be under the control of temporary lights. However, when the works move onto Sowerby New Road, this will result in its closure.

Implications for school services:  diversions are not required during the various stages of the works as full traffic access will be maintained for any services coming off West Street toward Ryburn Valley High School and Sacred Heart Primary School via Sowerby Street, Quarry Hill, Fore Lane and St. Peter's Street.

For those who use the 579 service bus, again, the route along St Peter's Street will be maintained at all stages of the works.

School services that operate via Sowerby New Road may have to divert slightly via Fore Lane and Quarry Hill when Sowerby New Road itself is closed but it is expected that this stage will be during the summer school holidays starting after the 17th July. 

For the stages where there are temporary traffic lights, delays should be anticipated however, during the AM and PM peak, these lights will additionally be manually controlled by workers to help with traffic flows.