East Leeds Orbital Road makes further progress

A contractor has been announced for the first two phases of the East Leeds Orbital Road (ELOR) contract by Leeds City Council. The contract has been awarded to Balfour Beatty.

The initial highway works are part of the wider East Leeds Extension (ELE) programme, including development of land at Thorpe Park and Manston Lane Link Road, as part of the largest road scheme in the city since the 1970s.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council executive member for regeneration, transport and planning, said:

“This is great news for the long term future of East Leeds and the city as a whole. The investment in ELOR will make for better, more efficient journeys and the new and improved roads will move and manage traffic away from existing residential areas. Not only this, but updated pedestrian and cycleway infrastructure and carefully designed landscaping and drainage are planned. This will make things better for cyclists and walkers, with our carefully considered landscape plans making a difference to areas at risk of flooding.

“ELE and ELOR will also see extra jobs, homes and transport improvements - significant opportunities as ELE and the new orbital road play their part in Leeds’s continued economic growth and success.

“I welcome the interest and responses we have seen to consultation and engagement, helping us ensure plans can reflect local needs and views. I look forward to seeing the development delivering for people in Leeds in coming years.”

The first two phases of ELOR include implementing improvements to a number of existing Outer Ring Road junctions, as well as developing the design for the main ELOR. Planned to start in the summer of 2018 and lasting for approximately 15 months, the main ELOR construction will then move forward from late 2019 subject to statutory approvals and land acquisition.

As a major strategic growth area for the city, ELE will see undeveloped land earmarked for the development of around 5,000 new homes, community facilities, new schools and local retail outlets.

This contract award follows the robust contingency measures taken by Leeds City Council to deal with the risk of the original preferred supplier, Carillion, being unable to deliver the work.

More details about East Leeds Extension can be found at: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/east-leeds-extension.