As a long standing supporter of Mass Transit in Leeds and West Yorkshire, Leeds Civic Trust is once again disappointed that the proposed initial routes, including routes linking Leeds to Bradford and St James Hospital to South Leeds, have been further delayed.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has said that it may be the late 2030s before people start making journeys on trams, several years later than originally planned. The business case and route planning will now be undertaken sequentially rather than in tandem, thus adding years to the project.
Leeds Civic Trust Director Martin Hamilton said:
“This is yet another disappointment to add to the disappointments over the last 40 years that has meant that Leeds remains the largest city in Europe without a tram system. Leeds Civic Trust has supported the idea of a tram system throughout that period.”
“Reading between the lines, it is clear that this decision has been heavily influenced by Whitehall, and whilst the Mayoral authority must put on a brave face, the city’s experience with HS2 shows that when major infrastructure schemes are kicked into the long grass, they are less likely to happen.”
“One key lesson must be learned. Across the rest of the world, major transit schemes are delivered far quicker and more cheaply when decisions and fundraising are made at a local level. They are not subject to a change in priorities that inevitably come with a change in national government and are not so reliant on central government handouts.”
“Meanwhile, as with HS2, our city is faced with more years of planning blight. Developers unable or unwilling to make a move until they have certainty about the precise routes to be taken by the tram and major public realm aspirations (for example City Square) unable to be taken forward until routes through the city centre are confirmed.”
“Leeds Civic Trust continues to believe that Mass Transit is vital part of the city’s overall transport story and will continue to support the Mayoral Authority in its delivery.”
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Useful Information:
WYCA Press Release: https://zurl.co/DuJWG
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Image Description: A graphic showing a WYCA CGI mock up image of a tram passing through a city centre. A green banner runs across the bottom with the white text ‘Statement on WYCA Mass Transit Delays’. The Leeds Civic Trust logo is in the bottom right.
