Sustainable transport infrastructure investment back on the agenda

Proposals for investments in sustainable transport infrastructure in north west Leeds, including a new parkway rail station and park and ride facilities, will be discussed by senior councillors early in January.

At the meeting of the council’s executive board to be held at Civic Hall on 7 January, a report will be considered on the latest position regarding potential improvements to transport connectivity in the north west of the city, as well as creating an alternative sustainable public transport option for commuting into Leeds from the north of the city, and links from the proposed rail halt to Leeds Bradford Airport and a new North West Leeds Employment Hub.

Leeds City Council, working with West Yorkshire Combined Authority and partners including the airport, had previously put forward plans for three road improvement options, with option A and B proposing to create a new link road from the A65 to the A658 while a third option C would see the existing A65 and A658 enhanced.

Further investment was proposed to create a parkway rail station on the Leeds to Harrogate line, with a short connecting spur road to give access to the airport. The station would include new park and ride services to Leeds and Harrogate with 350 parking spaces and a bus interchange.

Public consultation was carried out on three road options in 2015 and the road and rail options earlier this year.

As a result of the feedback received, which showed support for the parkway station but no clear backing for any road option, Leeds City Council is now proposing a plan which factors in climate change considerations and integrates with its declaration of a climate emergency.

This plan would see further engagement and feasibility work carried out on the parkway station and spur road proposal, along with a connecting road from the A658 to access the new North West Leeds Employment Hub on land adjacent to the airport.

The previous options for either of the link road options or improving the A65/A658 would not be developed further.

The parkway station proposal, being managed by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, was given support from 50% of the more than 2,000 survey responses in the public consultation.

It would offer a connection to Leeds Bradford Airport via rail services for the first time, providing a solution to a long-held need for the city.

The parkway station would offer the potential for current car users to switch to public transport each day, either by using the train to the area or by using park and ride services at the new parkway station to connect with Leeds, Harrogate and York. Forecasts for the station when operational would see it used by approximately 455,000 people each year.

In addition, the new proposals would see the creation of a shorter road from the A658 to serve the North West Leeds Employment Hub. This land has been identified as meeting a need for local job creation, with the potential for approximately 5,500 new jobs.

The council says it will continue to press Leeds Bradford Airport and partners to develop a new travel plan with public transport at its core, as well as a carbon reduction and offsetting scheme to address carbon impacts at a local level.

The road elements of the new proposals would potentially cost a third of the previous road options, which were estimated at up to about £100m.

Along with the latest proposals, the feasibility work will look at other possible upgrades to the local road network in north west Leeds to further improve air quality by addressing congestion to cut emissions levels.

Leeds City Council executive board member for climate change, transport and sustainable development, Councillor Lisa Mulherin, said: “The council takes consultation with the public very seriously and we have taken on board the feedback we have received about the previous road proposals, and the support for the rail halt.

“We have asked people, including local residents and stakeholders, twice about the road proposals and the lack of clear support for any of the options has been consistent so it is only right that we have listened and are responding to what people are telling us they do want.

“That is why we are taking forward proposals for a parkway station, investing in sustainable public transport infrastructure.

“This will help to take cars off the roads travelling into the city centre from the north of the city and provide public transport links to the existing airport facility and the new North West Leeds Employment Hub to support the demand for new jobs in that part of the city.”

Councillor Kim Groves, chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, said: “Developing a new railway station on the Leeds-Harrogate line will provide a low carbon alternative for travel to the airport, help reduce congestion and improve air quality while also supporting economic growth by connecting to the North West Leeds Employment Hub.

“We are working to help people across the region to switch from cars to public transport, cycling and walking and this approach is at the centre of our £500m-plus bid to the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund to help make clean, affordable, sustainable travel available to all.

“We continue to urge the Government to set out a national approach to addressing the contribution of aviation to carbon emissions as we pursue our target to be a carbon-zero region by 2038 with significant progress by 2030.”