TRAFFIC experts have already begun planning to prevent "gridlock Kirklees".
But they admit the 20,000 new homes planned for the district by 2016 will inevitably cause more congestion.
The news of the Government plan to build more homes in Kirklees has sparked fears about how the roads will cope with the extra traffic.
But Stuart Clewlow, Kirklees group engineer for the local transport plan, is confident the roads will be able to cope with the increased traffic.
He said: "We have just received a lot of data about the present state of the roads in the area. Although we have not analysed it fully yet, on first inspection it seems to confirm what we thought.
"We do have time before the increases and I am confident there will be no `gridlock Kirklees'. We are already working towards tackling the problem, but I don't think we will see a large increase in roads and huge traffic congestion as the population increases.
"Percentage-wise, 20,000 new homes is not a huge amount. I think that with the proper planning we can beat the queues."
Mr Clewlow believes the way forward is not necessarily building more roads and widening existing ones. He says the way to beat the jams is to leave the car at home.
"The answer is simple and is as valid today as it will be in 2016. Use public transport - or even cycle," he said.
"If people just took a couple of bus trips per week where they would normally use the car there will be a real difference.
"We need a culture where people realise that taking public transport could really help the roads - and themselves."
But Mr Clewlow says he does not think Huddersfield town centre will be getting a congestion charge like Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has introduced in the capital.
"I think we will see more cities and large towns getting such charges, but for the time being I don't think Huddersfield will get one," he said.
"However, there have been suggestions of regional or national charges to drivers that could be similar to the London charge. They would be aimed at keeping people away from busy routes at peak times.
"Transport officials in Leeds have discussed the proposals half-heartedly, but Nottingham and Edinburgh are the furthest on with plans.
"Huddersfield town centre and its surrounding roads are problem areas. That is true now and I imagine it will continue," said Mr Clewlow.
"But there are concerns that more rural areas will get new housing developments that will mean more cars on those roads.
"The plans for new houses will state that for the most part they need to be in brownfield sites, ones that have already had some development."
