Plans for double yellow lines are set to be forced through to quell road rage in Mirfield.

For the past few years roads around the town’s train station have been narrowed by rail passengers’ cars, leaving space for traffic in only one direction.

With only a handful of spaces in the official car park, commuters have taken to parking on both sides of Hopton New Road and Back Station Road, turning them into gauntlets for local motorists.

A number of stand-offs have occurred as drivers get halfway down and meet head-to-head with nowhere to pass.

The police have been called numerous times, most recently when tempers flared after a skip lorry and a car both refused to reverse (pictured above).

Kirklees Council has tried to bring in double yellow lines, staggered down the road, to create passing places.

But their plan was frustrated by objections from two local residents.

Now senior councillors are set to over-rule the objectors and get the scheme underway.

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A meeting of cabinet members will take place on Wednesday next week, with the recommendation being to forge ahead with the plan.

Objector Brian Foster said he opposed the idea because he thinks waiting restrictions should be installed down the entire length of Hopton New Road – a busy route between Mirfield and Kirkheaton.

Mr Foster says he thinks the council’s plan will merely shift the parking problem elsewhere.

The second objector, John Sykes, says he feels the scheme won’t work.

He said he felt motorists would not be able to see the gaps in the parked cars, making the passing points ineffective.

The council says it will pay for the new parking restrictions from money secured from the developer that built the South Brook Gardens housing on Back Station Road.

All three Mirfield councillors support the plan.

Meanwhile, Clr Martyn Bolt, has re-launched a petition to get improvements to Mirfield station.

The eastbound platform suffers from no disabled access and the station has no ticket machines, no toilets and just a handful of parking spaces.

“We have over 400,000 passengers per year through Mirfield, it is a key link in the transport network for the region servicing residents and businesses and yet it is not prioritised by Network Rail and others,” said Martyn.

Clr Martyn Bolt has re-launched a petition to get improvements to Mirfield Railway Station
Clr Martyn Bolt has re-launched a petition to get improvements to Mirfield Railway Station

Officials are known to be working on two potential additional car parks – adding about 200 extra spaces – but progress has been slow.

Clr Bolt has accused Network Rail of being reluctant to resolve the situation.

400,000 passengers per year pass through Mirfield Railway Station, according to Clr Bolt
400,000 passengers per year pass through Mirfield Railway Station, according to Clr Bolt

He added: “Since the Friends of Mirfield Railway station began their work, another piece of land has been developed by Network rail to use for their staff, with no consultation with local people. It is ridiculous that organisations such as Network rail work in isolation of the wider rail partnership bodies and can disadvantage an area like Mirfield so easily.”