Statement from Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, following today’s transport summit at Leeds Civic Hall

Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council said: “It was inspiring to see people from such a huge cross section of organisations and communities across Leeds coming together for the first step in what will be the biggest ever consultation about the future of public transport in Leeds.

“What was clear today was that, while we can’t all always agree on what the best solution might be, what we do have in Leeds is a shared passion for giving the city a transport system we can be proud of.

“Leeds has made some excellent progress, with projects like the award-winning Elland Road park and ride and the new southern entrance to Leeds Station already making a big difference for commuters.

“Ongoing projects such as the East Leeds Link Road will also provide a major boost for other parts of Leeds in the future.

“But what we now need to do is develop additional plans for further improvements that are pragmatic, deliverable, and focus on the outcomes we are trying to achieve- faster journeys, more capacity, economic growth and better air quality.

“We need to identify schemes that can be delivered soon, such as park and ride sites, high quality, fast bus routes, new rail stations, better public spaces, cycle and walking routes alongside transformational long-term projects that suit the needs of 21^st Century commuters and passengers.

“Our next step will be to take the feedback from today as well as ideas and information gathered at forthcoming community consultations and develop a detailed plan to submit to the Department for Transport before the end of the year.

“I’d like to offer my thanks to everyone who attended today and encourage as many people as possible to play their part in future sessions so we can ensure Leeds gets the transport system it deserves.”

ENDS