The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin has unveiled detailed route options for the region’s future mass transit tram network.
The public is now invited to provide opinions on the proposed routes for the first phase of the project, which will connect Central and South Leeds and Bradford and Leeds.
Phase one of the mass transit network will consist of two lines. The Leeds line will connect St James’ Hospital with south Leeds, while the Bradford Line will run from Bradford city centre to Leeds city centre.
As the region’s most concentrated centres, Leeds and Bradford will be the hubs from which the mass transit network can grow.
For phase one, all potential route options for the Leeds Line pass near the White Rose Centre, with two options also running close to Elland Road. Other key destinations on some of the proposed routes include Leeds General Infirmary, The South Bank, Holbeck, and Beeston.
Meanwhile, the Bradford Line will link Thornbury, Laisterdyke, Pudsey, Armley, and Wortley between Bradford city centre and Leeds city centre.
“West Yorkshire is a truly special place to live and work, but learning, earning a living or spending time with friends and family should not be limited by a difficult journey.
“A crucial part of our growth mission, Mass Transit will transform the transport options available to the people of West Yorkshire, as well as attracting investment into the region and boosting our economy.
“We want to create a better-connected West Yorkshire, with a Mass Transit system that is affordable, easy to use, and safe and secure for all.”
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is running a public consultation on the proposed routes, which will continue until 30 September.
Once the preferred routes have been developed, a further statutory consultation will follow in 2025. This consultation will include proposals for tram stops, depots, potential park and ride sites and engineering works.
While phase one progresses, the Combined Authority will simultaneously collaborate with Kirklees Council on the Dewsbury Line Development Project. They will also partner with Calderdale and Wakefield councils on future phases to ensure that all parts of West Yorkshire are included in the development.
“Having a tram system will be a leap forward for the West Yorkshire economy and, given the size of Bradford and the number of workers we have here, I’m pleased to see our city benefit from this tram link in the first phase.
“The route would service communities which have never been connected before, providing better access to jobs and opportunities.
“I’m pleased to see the Mayor and the Combined Authority making good progress on delivering the tram link which over the coming years will gradually build out across the whole of West Yorkshire.”
Construction work for the new network is expected to begin in 2028, with the first lines operational by the early 2030s.
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