Future Infrastructure Developments

[White Heather]

Just reading now on Leeds Live that some Numpty has now started a petition aimed at stopping the development of Leeds Bradford, claiming that the people of Leeds deserve to live in a Safe and Healthy city. It is just madness. Not sure where this hatred of all things aviation related comes from. If they want to have a petition why are they not targeting vehicles instead as they create vast amounts of pollution in the city, whilst aircraft create only a relatively tiny amount. Yet again, I suspect this is just NIMBYs masquerading as whatever, who see this as a way to stop the airport, and with it, stop the road scheme and rail scheme. They make my blood boil.

 

[Aviador]

Meanwhile the preparations for the East Leeds Orbital Road continue in readiness.

 

[Aviador]

I just tried to create a petition stating the economic and environmental benefits of building the new road. I mentioned the unnecessary120 mile round trip to Manchester airport and the industry efforts to reduce CO2 emissions but I managed to wipe it at the point of adding an image. I spent ages writing it. Does anybody else fancy a go an we can all sign it.

 

[LBA4EVER]

what gets me is how leeds city council want to create a pollution free zone, what LCC need to be doing is getting the traffic flowing because that's whats causing pollution,traffic jammed up on their poor roads! LCC are the ones creating the pollution!

 

[Len Fish]

Traffic management in Leeds is a good example to the rest of the country on how not to do it. Millions wasted on virtually unused cycle lanes, atrocious access to vehicles to the train station on a Aire Street which is continually jammed up causing delay and pollution and don’t get me started about the guided bus lanes which half of the buses aren’t equipped to use. The LCC approach to traffic management seems to be to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to get from A to B quickly and efficiently, whether it be by private vehicle or public transport. There’s been a total lack of meaningful investment, prevarication over much needed schemes with protesting minorities being allowed to wag the dog. Rant over, time for bed!

 

[airforced]

LCC must have been taking lessons from York Council as they are openly hostile to vehiclular traffic much prefering to have gridlocked roads around the city centre than doing something about it. If you have a bike however they love you and pander to your every need.

 

[David_itl]

Go over the Pennines and look at Manchester. They are about to ruin my bus commute in to work for no reason other than they despise private bus operators so will do everything in their power to make it as uncomfortable for buses by creating cycles lanes that no-one uses so when routes are curtailed due to an inability to run to schedule so causing fewer people to use buses, the local transport authority will say "this is why we need a centrally franchised service". This will then happen leading to the removal all the cycles lanes and by some miracle, journeys will be sped up so they will take all the credit when more passengers come on board,.

 

[Aviador]

"They" the evil ones. Councils have got to be seen to be proactive in reducing CO2. We've signed up to the Paris agreement so we're going to see a lot more pointless "initiatives" in the name of being green.

There is a big difference between looking after the planet and just removing CO2. It's like as if we can remove CO2 and all is right with the world again. Forget the over population and the overuse of natural resources, we've removed CO2.

 

[White Heather]

Well in the case of LBA, we need Leeds City Council to be 'on board' with whatever LBA are intending more than ever before. If they give in to the petition and the likes of Extinction Rebellion (which probably consist of largely the same group of people), then we can kiss further LBA development goodbye. We have been here before in the past. I truly hope that the Council stand firm and recognise the value of the airport to the city and Leeds City Region as well, and approve whatever the airport are planning as they did with version 1.

As for the petition, I know from past experience that the way to cancel this out is to have a similar petition aimed at supporting airport development. Effectively that is what we did back in the 90s to ensure LBA got its 24 hours licence back - securing nearly 5 pro supporters to every 1 objector. It may be needed again, but these days it is all done on line and I personally, am well past doing all that again. Perhaps there will be someone on here that might create such a petition to counter the opposition and let the council know that there is plenty of support for the airport and its plans. Sometimes it is the only way to avoid plan rejection or even referral to the Department of the Environment who will just sit on it forever and it rarely turns out well in the end.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Traffic management in Leeds is a good example to the rest of the country on how not to do it. Millions wasted on virtually unused cycle lanes, atrocious access to vehicles to the train station on a Aire Street which is continually jammed up causing delay and pollution and don’t get me started about the guided bus lanes which half of the buses aren’t equipped to use. The LCC approach to traffic management seems to be to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to get from A to B quickly and efficiently, whether it be by private vehicle or public transport. There’s been a total lack of meaningful investment, prevarication over much needed schemes with protesting minorities being allowed to wag the dog. Rant over, time for bed!

Totally agree with you len, utter discrace Leeds roads. No proper major road improvements or road widening, just low budget jobs that create more jams, cycle lanes that make roads that were wide and spacious in the past too narrow which causes traffic to jam up if say a bus pulls in (whats wrong with just a painted white line to keep cyclist in their lane, its cleaner on the eye when driving than big curbs stuck up) bus lanes that stop and start so the buses just get stuck anyway, traffic calming measures and speed bumps that create more pollution through having to brake and accelerate, road surfaces that make you feel like your driving in the African safari. like ive said before just 1billion of the hs2 budget would sort the majority of the terrible leeds roads, might even be enough left for a runway extension!

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

The trouble with Leeds is that it doesn't have a mass transit system (Tram, Subway, Trolley bus etc) and therefore has to compensate with the large network of buses. The largest city to not have a mass transit system in not only the UK but Europe.

You then add into the fact that buses are quite expensive and quite often run late. People therefore then jump into their cars. Thus causing more congestion. Which therefore makes the buses run even later. And with that passenger numbers decline, prices go up, no value for money people jump into cars. And the circle continues and continues.

Look at Leeds as a whole. There are no train stations between Horsforth/Headingley and Burley and Cross gates which means means the whole of the North East Leeds into Wetherby are missing out. Most of the people either have to drive to the nearest Train station (causing congestion) or commute by bus - which brings us back to our first point - or by car. Leeds, also like Bradford, suffers from what i call the grid lock effect. if one of the main arteries of Leeds is gridlocked for whatever reason the majority of the surrounding areas will also feel the effect. Some of the times i've seen recently are ridiculous - 2 hours to go from Leeds City Centre to Headingley.

At the moment it is especially worse considering the Headrow is been "redone" therefore buses are now diverting all over the shop then taking the Headrow, causing more congestion. Coupled with - it's Christmas. Hell on earth this city between Mid November and January.

We also have some ridiculous traffic management systems in the UK. Take Kirkstall Lane. Within 1/2 mile there are 7 sets of traffic lights and these traffic lights do not sync with one another. One set is Green the other Red. The junction of Spen lane with the ring road another prime example especially coming from Kirkstall. Traffic lights allow for a 'turn left/straight on' (and vv for the other end) then a turn right. The trouble is a lot of traffic wants to also turn right. Therefore clogging the road up as the traffic positions its self to turn right. If they simply changed that over to have one set all green allowing a turn right/left straight on and then the opposing does the same they'd solve some congestion there.

Leeds - always building today for yesterdays problems and never ever thinking about tomorrows or next weeks.

 

[Hendi]

Spot on with that post sherburn. I drive all of those routes/areas mentioned and it is a nightmare. And as more people pass there tests and get on the roads it will only get worse. I was coming down low lane in horsforth earlier today the amount of learner drivers on there test I had to weave past was ridiculous. Something needs to be done, the park and rides been built even though heavily used do not seem to be making much difference to traffic flow in and out of leeds.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Spot on with that post sherburn. I drive all of those routes/areas mentioned and it is a nightmare. And as more people pass there tests and get on the roads it will only get worse. I was coming down low lane in horsforth earlier today the amount of learner drivers on there test I had to weave past was ridiculous. Something needs to be done, the park and rides been built even though heavily used do not seem to be making much difference to traffic flow in and out of leeds.

Not sure about more people driving. The last figures I have seen has shown a 40% drop in under 25's applying for a driving licence over the last decade.
In relation to York, it always has been a cycling city, the bike has always been king, as it should be as a flat city, I never used my car when I lived their and my daughter still on her bike as are all the family and my sister in her 8th decade would never dream of getting behind the wheel of a car, bike, bus or walk are her choices and the car for emergencies. Pointless as she says taking a car in to York.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Spot on with that post sherburn. I drive all of those routes/areas mentioned and it is a nightmare. And as more people pass there tests and get on the roads it will only get worse. I was coming down low lane in horsforth earlier today the amount of learner drivers on there test I had to weave past was ridiculous. Something needs to be done, the park and rides been built even though heavily used do not seem to be making much difference to traffic flow in and out of leeds.

Thanks a lot hendi I own a driving school! lol But I no what you mean, the dvsa has had to bring in extra instructors from the scotish regions to cover the sheer amount of pupils wanting to take tests in leeds and Bradford also, due to the increasing population and poor public transport around here. each examiner does around 6 tests a day and at the moment horsforth test centre has around 10-12 examiners going out at a time so your looking at around 60-80 tests a day at least!

 

[Hendi]

Flight2win no offence intended that is some pretty staggering stats

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Spot on with that post sherburn. I drive all of those routes/areas mentioned and it is a nightmare. And as more people pass there tests and get on the roads it will only get worse. I was coming down low lane in horsforth earlier today the amount of learner drivers on there test I had to weave past was ridiculous. Something needs to be done, the park and rides been built even though heavily used do not seem to be making much difference to traffic flow in and out of leeds.

Now just imagine if the government give local people, at local level, who have local knowledge and understand local issues, governance and influence over infrastructure projects around the region. I know its called a councillor, but until thats an MP wage or not to dissimilar i'll refuse to do that.

Rodley Roundabout - another prime example of something looking great going east/west, but go help anyone who wants to turn right to Horsforth from Rodley, or right to Greengages from Horsforth.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Flight2win no offence intended that is some pretty staggering stats

don't worry about it, but I know what you mean,that section of low lane does get fairly congested, currently waiting times to take a driving test from either the harehills or horsforth dtc is next march so roughly a 2-3month wait unless you happen to get a cancellation!
So as you can imagine with my job i see it all from idiot drivers (mainly drivers frustrated at the shocking leeds rds) to the terrible road planning and apparent road improvements that seem to take years to do then once completed just make things worse!

 

[LBA4EVER]

Now just imagine if the government give local people, at local level, who have local knowledge and understand local issues, governance and influence over infrastructure projects around the region. I know its called a councillor, but until thats an MP wage or not to dissimilar i'll refuse to do that.

Rodley Roundabout - another prime example of something looking great going east/west, but go help anyone who wants to turn right to Horsforth from Rodley, or right to Greengages from Horsforth.

ah the rodley roundabout! what a laugh that roundabout is now, done on the cheap as per and worse than before!

 

[Heathrowflyer]

The problem is lack of accountability at a local level for the money LCC were given bt the dft to improve the East Leeds orbital and outer ring road. These projects seem to go ahead without any public consultation. So, for instance; the Harrogate Road roundabout is still under construction, has taken years to build, caused major congestion and as far as I can see has just narrowed the lanes to include cycle lanes about 5 metres into/out of the roundabout. Given that you see hardly any cyclists on this route into Leeds I'm at a loss to understand why they have spent millions on this for such a short cycle path. Interestingly I heard from a taxi driver that due to local protests the Lawnswood roundabout 'improvements' wont be going ahead, does anyone know if this is true? Then the council are looking to spend a fortune on a park and ride next to The Grammar School even though the King Lane park and ride, less than 1.5 mile from this, is under utilised, with the parking area being used by Allerton High next door rather than bus users...its just madness.

 

[White Heather]

As I understand it, the original proposed Lawnswood scheme, which removed the current roundabout in favour of a large American style intersection controlled by traffic lights, and which also resulted in the felling of many mature trees either side of the roundabout, has been put on hold following the intervention of protest groups and the MP. I believe LCC are now considering their options, but as far as I am aware, the scheme is not officially dead. It will almost certainly come back in some form or other. The simplest method would be to keep the roundabout, and the trees, and just control access on to the roundabout with traffic lights. However, whether they have lights or not, or keep the roundabout or not, it is hard to see there ever being a time at this junction where there are no queues during rush hour and busy periods.