Plans for new park and ride site in east Leeds set to be discussed by executive board

Proposals for a new 1000 space park and ride site in East Leeds could move one step closer next week.

As part of a report submitted to Leeds City Council’s executive board on 15 July 2015, senior councillors will have the opportunity to consider a range of design work already undertaken at the Temple Green Park and Ride site adjacent to the A63 Ponterfract Lane in the city region’s Enterprise Zone and to agree in principle to the implementation of the scheme. Funding for the £9m plus project will be subject to agreement from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), with a decision expected later in the year. If given the go-ahead, work could begin on the site in March 2016.

If given the go-ahead, facilities at the Temple Green Park and Ride site when completed in late 2016 will include a bus layby able to accommodate three buses, passenger waiting facilities, smartcard ticketing, customer toilets and provision for electrical car charging. Gates, fencing, lighting and CCTV will also make the site a secure and safe location for customers to park their vehicles. A further round of public consultation regarding the scheme focusing on potential users in the city centre and Aire Valley businesses is currently being undertaken.

Development of the park and ride will play a key part in the council’s and WYCA’s continued ambitions to reduce the demand for parking in the city centre and cut transport emissions and congestion. This scheme follows the introduction of an 800 space park and ride at Elland Road in south Leeds, which in just a year of operation has seen 68,000 cars park at the site and over 150,000 passenger journeys. Due to this success, the executive board will also be asked to consider and agree in a separate report, to an upgrade of the existing temporary 400 space overflow car park.

To view the Temple Green Park and Ride executive board report, please see: http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/documents/s134303/Temple%20Green%20Cover%20Report%20030715.pdf

For more information regarding the Elland Road Park and Ride executive board report, please see: http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/documents/s134306/Elland%20Road%20Cover%20Report%20Appendix%20A%20030715.pdf

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

“If agreed by members of the executive board, I believe there is a real opportunity for us in east Leeds at the Temple Green Park and Ride site to potentially mirror the success of the Elland Road Park and Ride scheme, which has exceeded our targets in both demand and performance.

“Not only will this new park and ride play a key part in our ongoing strategy to take more cars off the road and encourage more people not to drive in into the city centre, it will also help reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality.

“The Elland Road scheme has been a massive success, but there are always lessons we can learn. Even better facilities and making the whole site more attractive will help to deliver a quality scheme located perfectly to grow side by side with the Employment Zone.

“This is just one of a number of schemes that we are both exploring and progressing to make real strides in tackling congestion in Leeds, and I am looking forward to seeing work hopefully begin on the Temple Green Park and Ride site early next year.”

West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee chair Cllr Keith Wakefield said:

“The popularity of the Elland Road scheme has proved demand exists for park and ride in Leeds and the proposal to upgrade the temporary 400 space overflow car park and build a new 1000 space park and ride at Temple Green can only increase the significant contribution it and the 4,500 park and ride spaces at West Yorkshire’s rail stations are already making to reducing congestion and improving air quality in Leeds.”

Notes to editor:

People can find out more about the consultation on the proposed Temple Green Park and Ride at http://www.wymetro.com/TempleGreen-PR/

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Details regarding the Elland Road Park & Ride:

Bus route and frequency

Buses run every 10 minutes, from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday, apart from Saturday Match Days when Leeds United are playing at home.

Towards Leeds

Elland Road Park & Ride - Meadow Road / Sweet Street - Great Wilson Street - Boar Lane

Towards Elland Road

Boar Lane - Great Wilson Street - Elland Road Park & Ride.

Tickets and fares

You get 10% discount when you add five or more tickets to your Park & Ride SmartCard.

Remember to keep hold of your SmartCard so you can top up your journeys at the kiosk on site.

Family-friendly ticketing - up to three children can travel free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

Unaccompanied children, up to the age of 16, pay half fare and will need to show a Young Person's PhotoCard.

Available from the Elland Road ticket kiosk:

• Day return: £3 (or save 10% when buying five or more tickets)
• 5 adult day returns: £13.50
• 10 adult day returns: £27
• 20 adult day returns: £54

Available on the bus:

• Day return: £3
• Seven day ticket: £13
• Off-peak day return (after 1pm): £2
• Senior / Disabled day return: £2 after 9.30am or £3 before 9.30am.
• £2 all day Saturday (apart from Match Days).
• You will need to show a Concessionary Pass.

Facilities

• Well-lit bus shelters with real-time information screens
• 24 hour ticketing machines
• Disabled parking spaces
• Electric vehicle spaces, with free charging points
• Staffed security cabin, 7am-7pm
• Toilets
• Cycle stands

For media enquiries, please contact;

Colin Dickinson, Leeds City Council press office (0113) 39 51578

Email: colin.dickinson@leeds.gov.uk