West Yorkshire tram plans revealed

7 March saw the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) unveil plans for two potential tram lines serving Leeds and Bradford in the UK. 

 

Leeds is believed to be the largest city in western Europe without a mass transit system but previous efforts to achieve a system have been thwarted by national government withdrawing funding commitments. This time a line is proposed from St James’ Hospital via the city centre and Elland Road to the White Rose Shopping Centre. A second line would link Leeds and Bradford city centres. 

 

The WYCA will be asked to endorse the plan at its meeting on 14 March, and it is hoped that construction could start in 2028 using funding allocated to the region after the cancellation of the Birmingham–Manchester HS2 high-speed rail link. 

 

The next stage will be for the strategic outline case to be submitted to the Department for Transport. There will be full public consultation on details of the routes. 

 

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said, ‘Today is a key milestone in our plan to create a better-connected region that works for all. By setting out our plans to submit to government, we are taking a major step forward towards the biggest infrastructure project that West Yorkshire has seen since the development of the motorways six decades ago’. 

 

Councillor James Lewis, Leader of Leeds City Council, said, ‘Mass transit will transform transit across our city and the wider region, helping boost our economy and bringing our communities within easier reach of jobs and leisure opportunities. This is an important step forward in delivering mass transit, but there is still much to do and we are committed to working with the Combined Authority and our partners so this can be achieved for the benefit of people across West Yorkshire.