Construction work begins on £10.4m A660 transport improvements

The scheme aims to address a high number of casualties along the route whilst providing safer, alternative travel options for Leeds residents. Work includes safety improvements where the A660 meets key junctions; continuous crossings at side junctions, to give pedestrians and cyclists priority; widened pavements; additional benches to sit and rest; two-metre-wide segregated cycle paths, both inbound and outbound; improved bus stops and shelters, including relocating some stops; closing St Michael’s Road and Regent Park Avenue to motorised vehicles to prevent rat-running; six additional pedestrian crossings and improved landscaping along the route.

Construction of the £10.4million works, funded by Active Travel England, will be delivered in phases to reduce disruption, with work already underway between the junctions of Spring Bank Crescent and Richmond Road, near to The Golden Beam pub.

The cycle paths, in particular, are a welcome addition with 68 per cent of respondents backing the plans. The A660 is one of the busiest cycle routes in Leeds with over 1,000 cyclists using it daily. The cycle path will follow on from the recently completed Shaw Lane junction improvement scheme which includes a new-fully segregated cycle path.

The highways treatments are scheduled to complete in spring 2025. The schedule of work is:

Phase three: Ongoing, due to complete winter 2023.
A660 Headingley Lane from Spring Bank Crescent to Richmond Road

Phases four and six: Construction has been delayed until early 2024, due to complete summer 2024.
Phase 4: A660 Headingley Lane from Richmond Road to Victoria Road
Phase 6: A660 Woodhouse Lane from Hyde Park Corner to Cliff Road
Phase 2: A660 Otley Road from North Lane to Spring Bank Crescent

Phases seven, nine and 10: Construction begins early 2024, due to complete autumn/winter 2024.
Phase 7: A660 Woodhouse Lane from Cliff Road to Clarendon Road
Phase 9: A660 Woodhouse Lane from Clarendon Road to St Mark’s Road
Phase 10: A660 Woodhouse Lane/St Mark’s Road junction

Phases one and eight: Construction begins spring 2024, due to complete spring 2025.
Phase 1: A660 Otley Road from Shaw Lane to North Lane
Phase 8: A660 Woodhouse Lane/Clarendon Road junction

Phase five: Construction begins summer 2024, due to complete spring 2025.
A660 Headingley Lane/Hyde Park Corner/Victoria Road junction

For further information about each section, please visit the consultation materials.

Traffic management will be in operation whilst the works are carried out, and disruption will be kept to a minimum as possible, but there will inevitably be delays, and when temporary road closures are in operation, diversion routes will be well signed. To be kept up-to-date with any of the construction, our contractor Colas Ltd has an app, Hello Travaux, you can use. Download it by scanning the QR code below:

Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for sustainable development and infrastructure, said:

“I’m pleased to see construction is already underway after positive public feedback at consultation at the start of this year. This busy route suffers from a high casualty rate with 172 casualties happening along this road during 2016-2021. These works, once delivered, will improve safety for all road users, aiming to meet our Vision Zero Strategy goal of eliminating road deaths and serious injury on Leeds’ roads by 2040.

"Along with the recently completed Shaw Lane junction improvements, the works will provide more travel options for residents, helping towards tackling climate change and improving people’s health and wellbeing.

Unfortunately, as with any road improvement works, there will be some disruption along this busy route, so please plan ahead for any journeys. Together with our construction partners, we will update local residents and businesses of any work throughout.”

Notes to editors

A continuous crossing (Copenhagen crossing) extends the pavement across the carriageway, making crossing the road easier. They are designed to slow down vehicles when entering or exiting side roads and encourage vehicles to give way to people walking, wheeling and cycling.

A casualty is a person killed or injured in a collision.