Connecting Leeds Transport Strategy marks major achievements over last three years – and outlines new action plan up to 2027

The report to the council’s Executive Board provides an update on progress on the Connecting Leeds transport strategy. Its vision is for Leeds to be a city where you don’t need a car, and where everyone has an affordable, accessible and zero carbon choice in how they travel, and since 2018 more than three quarters of a billion pounds has been invested in the city’s highways and transport network through the Connecting Leeds programme.

The Connecting Leeds transport strategy’s initial action plan 2020 -2024 has delivered some key successes including:

• Major highway improvements including the Armley Gyratory and the completion of the East Leeds Orbital Route, increasing road capacity to support changes in the city centre, along with other improvements to key transport corridors including the A647 and Outer Ring Road between Horsforth and Rodley.
• Launching our Vision Zero Strategy which aims to eliminate all fatalities and serious injuries on Leeds roads by 2040. The number of people killed or seriously injured on Leeds roads has reduced since its launch.
• Transforming City Square and wider public realm in the city centre, including the Headrow, Vicar Lane and the Corn Exchange, creating safer pedestrian-friendly spaces.  
• The launch of Leeds City Bikes, the largest e-bike scheme in the UK which will see further roll-out later this year.
• The Stourton Park & Ride has experienced continued growth since opening in late 2021, alongside the existing sites at Elland Road and Temple Green, and more than 90 electric buses are now serving the city’s busiest routes. Around 10,000 cars are taken off city roads each week with consistently over 20,000 passengers per week using the services and further improvements planned later in the year.
• Improvements and significant funding in Leeds City Rail Station, with a significant increase in passenger numbers and footfall exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Local rail stations have experienced similar growth.
• Fewer car commuters into the city centre since 2021, reducing congestion and improving local air quality.

These successes have led to increasing numbers of people walking through the city centre, along with rising bus passenger numbers.

Overall city centre footfall for the whole of 2024 increased by 1.3% compared to 2023, which in turn was up by 2.7% on 2022. Footfall at Leeds City Rail Station has also increased by 12% in 2024 compared to 2023, and with the city centre seeing significant and continued investment in its retail and hospitality offer it is hoped that footfall will keep rising and further boost the city’s economy.

There has also been a 4.1% reduction in car mileage across the city since 2019, and a 6% year-on-year increase of public electric vehicle charging points.

New Action Plan launched to 2027

Some measures within the initial action plan are ongoing or still progressing, and are being taken forward with the launch of a new action plan which details our ambitions and activities up to 2027.

This includes major schemes such as Dawson's Corner and Stanningley Bypass, which has only recently secured c£36m government funding, the A660 improvements and the Lawnswood Roundabout scheme, along with more active travel and cycling schemes.

The council will continue to support the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to progress the mass transit scheme and to implement bus reforms, and will continue its partnership work to deliver the Vision Zero strategy regionally.

The challenges of delivering these measures is reflected in progress against the strategy’s ambitions. Although overall carbon emissions have reduced since 2019, the latest figures suggest that they have begun rising again and may reach pre-pandemic levels, so the council is still facing challenges to meet its net-zero targets by 2030.

There was a significant decrease in motorists driving into the city centre between 2022 and 2023, and although this trend has not continued during the last year the number remains below 2022's levels.

Across the city the amount of HGV and LGV traffic is growing which is likely to relate to online shopping and home delivery trends.

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Deputy Leader of Leeds City Council and Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Sustainable Development, said: “We have made significant progress towards our vision of creating a city where you don’t need to own a car, and we are proud of our achievements so far.

“Our places are becoming more people-friendly, inclusive and welcoming, we are delivering infrastructure which is fit for the 21st century, and we are encouraging more people to use active and sustainable travel methods and public transport.

“We have big ambitions for our city and we recognise that progress towards these hasn’t been easy. We’ve faced significant challenges along the way and there is much to do. When the council adopted this very ambitious strategy it was made with the knowledge that this would be underpinned by significant funding over a sustained period. Investment levels have been good in recent years and there is a need to maintain these in the coming years so we can achieve our goals alongside delivering general transport improvements.

“By launching our new action plan to 2027 we are making clear how we will ensure we achieve our vision for everyone who lives, works and visits our city, working closely with our partners and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.”

Exploring new funding opportunities

The report states that the ‘current level of funding is insufficient to cover all aspects’ of the new action plan. As a result, the council will be looking for alternative funding to deliver these activities, and will be looking to work with partners including the combined authority, the Department for Transport and the private sector to achieved its shared objectives.

As part of this, the council is exploring the possibility of introducing a workplace parking levy to generate revenue which would used as local contributions to major transport investments, principally mass transit.

Such a levy could charge city centre businesses for parking places they offer for staff use, with revenue ring-fenced to support significant transport improvements.

The report is seeking agreement to carry out exploratory work including surveys around how a workplace parking levy could potentially be applied in Leeds city centre. This would include engaging with key partners and businesses in the first instance, and developing a rationale around which premises should be exempt from the scheme such as the city’s hospitals which employ round-the-clock shift workers delivering a vital emergency service.

Following this exploratory work, should the council intend to proceed with the introduction of a workplace parking levy a further report would be submitted to executive board for approval.

Should this be granted, a business case would need to be submitted to the Department for Transport and approved by the Secretary of State.

The full report can be viewed here.