Leeds City Council is hoping to double the number of bus journeys in 10 years and the number of homes in the city centre in the coming years.
Last month Leeds City Council unveiled proposals to revolutionise bus travel in the city, in addition to a report revealing that Leeds should expect a large rise in the number of homes in the city centre. Reaching the council’s goals regarding bus journeys and the number of houses will allow Leeds to keep up with demand, and it’ll also continue to transform the city.
Connecting Leeds
Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority drew up a new bus network plan for Leeds that has support from local bus operators First Leeds, Arriva Yorkshire, and Transdev. The plan, which is part of a wider transport strategy called Connecting Leeds, aims to improve traffic flow, air quality, pedestrian crossings, and cycle lanes, in addition to reducing congestion.
The proposals include giving priority to buses over cars on important routes into the city from Alwoodley, Bradford, and Oakwood and Roundhay. Changes to the busy roundabout Armley Gyratory were also included. The measures set forth would improve bus journey times and reliability.
With the potential to see 5,000 cars taken off the roads, the proposal is expected to help double the 250,000 bus trips made in Leeds on a daily basis. On top of that, it would free up more space on the roads and make journeys better for cyclists and pedestrians as well.
Councillor Judith Blake stated: “Lots of work is going on across the city and now we need to continue the transport conversation by talking in particular about enhanced bus services and what we need to do to make bus travel faster, more efficient, reliable, and cleaner. Looking at all aspects of a road network, we want to maximise the limited space we have so it is as efficient as possible.”
Room for housing growth in Leeds
An additional report by Leeds City Council suggested there is room for 20,000 more homes in the city centre. As demand continues to rise, the centre is an ideal area for additional houses and flats to be built. With close proximity to jobs and transport connections and the ability to reuse previously developed land, the city centre is one of the most sustainable locations in Leeds for new housing.
Even though there’s been a revival in the city’s property and development industry, there is still room for further growth. As Leeds sets to expand its transportation networks and housing market, the city will become an even more appealing place for people to live and invest in.
