A657

Route

The A657 is an unofficial Bradford northern bypass.

Saltaire - Bramley

The road begins at a roundabout on the A650 at Saltaire and heads gently downhill towards Shipley. Shipley and Saltaire are so close together that effectively they are one place, but the locals would surely protest at that. Anyway, we pass within 100 yards of Salt's Mill, built by Titus Salt. The mill and the village itself have been a World Heritage Site since 2001; not many roads in the UK can claim the distinction of passing through a similar site.

We arrive at a set of lights where the D2 A6038 crosses our path. We drop sharply downhill at this point, in order to pass under the railway, before we begin to climb rapidly uphill towards Thackley. As we pass through this village, we then begin to generally decline again, until we cross the A658 at a set of lights at Greengates. This junction has been horrendous for the twenty-five years I can remember driving or being driven through it with long peak-time delays.

Calverley

We then begin to rise again, up towards Calverley before we turn towards the left and then drop gently downhill again. Indeed, for a very brief period we enter a 40MPH zone and also with fields on both sides as we approach the A6120 Leeds Ring Road. We meet it at a roundabout, where we go straight on and immediately revert back to less than 30.

We pass through Rodley, another built up area, before a sharp climb and a crossroads with the B6157. Shortly after that, there's a poorly signed staggered crossroads with a local road before we continue through the village of Bramley. We pass around a roundabout on the former A647, and either bear to the left joining the A647 towards Leeds, or we go straight on and turn to the right to take the A647 back towards Bradford. Whichever way you choose, the A657 comes to an end as it joins the A647.

Original Author(s): Chris W