Leeds plans to be a city where 'you don't need a car'

Leeds City Council has set out plans to transform transport and travel in the city over the next 10 years, with a vision for ‘Leeds to be a city where you don’t need a car’,
The council has unveiled its latest Connecting Leeds transport strategy for the city setting out detailed plans for major improvements up to 2030.

Among the highlights of the plan are to contribute a reduction of up to 43 per cent in CO2 emissions from transport by 2030, and an aim for a 30 per cent reduction in car mileage, along with a 130 per cent increase in bus usage. 

The strategy also talks how it will complete the first phase of investment in the public transport improvement programme, which sees completing 30 infrastructure projects, such as transforming Leeds city centre, City Square, and city centre cycle walking and cycling improvements.
The strategy will also review policies on road space re-allocation, spatial planning, and safe and sustainable travel and continue with travel behaviour change initiatives across the Leeds district.

The majority of public consultation responses endorse the approach, from just over 1,700 responses, 70 per cent agreed with the levels of ambition and vision. The feedback also found that more needs to be done to reduce transport carbon emissions, but promisingly 58 per cent of replies said they are willing to change to a lower carbon mode.

In the last month, the country’s first fully solar powered park and ride facility opened at Stourton, operated by electric buses connecting into the city centre. Over the next few months there’s more major schemes to complete, with the Corn Exchange, the A61 south and A647 bus priority routes. The city’s other park and ride sites have been and will be extended. This follows over 60km of new dedicated cycle lanes have been installed since Leeds hosted le grand depart in 2014, with more to come across the district.

A report on the Connecting Leeds transport strategy and action plan 2021-24, will go before a meeting of the council’s executive board, to be discussed next Wednesday, 20 October.

Leeds City Council Leader Councillor James Lewis, said: “This transport strategy will enable Leeds to retain its role as a local, regional, and national transport hub and prepare the city for the arrival of high-speed rail. We will continue to work and support the newly elected Mayor, alongside our joint efforts to transform the bus network. Maximising the transport investment, our approach will ensure benefits are distributed across the city and wider city region. We will need support from all partners and communities across the city to achieve these ambitious plans; most importantly we will need significant government support and long-term funding.

“There’s more we can do to improve everyone’s experience of travel in our city and that journey starts within local areas. Creating healthier streets that are safer, greener, and accessible to all and delivering local schemes will be a priority. We need to continue to get people to move away from their cars to reduce air pollution and deliver an affordable, reliable, safe and zero carbon public transport network for the city which supports streets for people and unlocks the power of transport for a fairer, greener and a more prosperous Leeds.”