Road, Rail & Access Issues

[lbaspotter]

I know a certain person on here is not going to like what i've just read and going to post below as it will mean his bus service to the airport been axed very shortly. Sorry Pete!

But according to the latest WYITA bus scrutiny comittee notes, the Airport management team wish to stop funding the 967 Menston - Otley - Airport bus as soon as January 2014 due to very low use and they want to fund more journeys on the 757 from April 2014.

From January, the 967 will have a truncated route running from Pool to Menston only and obviously a revised timetable. From April the 757 will have an enhanced timetable. The Airport/local Otley and Ilkley (presumably including Aireborough 966/947) bus review is due around then as well with consultation taking place in Winter 2013.

 

[Bigman]

So much for encouraging people to use public transport to get to the airport. Crazy!! They would have been better extending the 757 to Otley again as it used to be.

 

[lbaspotter]

So much for encouraging people to use public transport to get to the airport. Crazy!! They would have been better extending the 757 to Otley again as it used to be.

I would expect more people will be attracted to using the 757 from Leeds if the planned increase in service to every 20 mins take place along with adding some late night and early morning journeys. I just can't see an extension onto Otley been added this time around.

As the saying goes! "Use it or lose it" As I think you'll already know Bigman that's the single, and biggest major problem with funded (tendered) services, which are under used.

To be honest I wouldn't at all be surprised to find that the 737 Bradford - Airport service has played a major part into this planned axing of the 967 funding. As when it was extended onto serve both Pool and Harrogate it has took alot a passengers with it, along with the connection buses service from Guiseley/Otley to Harrogate.

Also it might be that the airport now think that the current 967 service operator, TLC Travel could make money themselfs by running the route commercially instead of been funded, It really is case case off Sods law!

 

[Seasider]

Any news of a reinstated York bus?

 

[lbaspotter]

Any news of a reinstated York bus?

No its all gone quite on that front seasider. I wish they would get it sorted though!

 

[lbaspotter]

Warning - Road Traffic Accident A658 closed.

As a result of a road traffic accident (A HGV has decided to park itself in the gardens of the houses on Victoria Avenue opposite the entrance to Multiflight/Southside Aviation) the A658 Harrogate Road will be closed from 2145hrs this evening until further notice to allow for recovery work to take place. The Airport are advising all passengers to allow for additional time when travelling to the airport and find alternative routes.

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Concern over plan to raise the speed limit in Leeds Bradford Airport tunnel

Councillors are concerned about a decision to raise the speed limit in the airport tunnel on the A658.

Leeds City Council has approved plans to increase the limit from 30mph to 40 mph.

Otley and Yeadon councillor Colin Campbell said he and his fellow ward councillors Ryk Downes and Sandy Lay were concerned about the increase.

“We have some concerns about this and have repeated our earlier comments that traffic already travels too fast on Victoria Avenue and we are particularly worried that simply putting up a sign will not slow southbound vehicles,” he said.

Read more: http://www.ilkleygazette.co.uk/news/new ... rt_tunnel/[/textarea]

 

[imagineif]

Think they need to get with the program, I have witnessed people already doing double the limit. Changing it to 40mph on a sign wont make people drive any faster or slower really.

 

[Aviador]

I agree and this is one location where I would support the use of a speed camera if or when the speed limit is increased.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Certainly a policeman with speed gun at the end of the tunnel at the beginning of last month I had to smile as drivers who sped passed me braked hard yet you could clearly see the police van parked in the layby at the end and my next door neighbour got a ticket about 4 months ago in this position at 7am in the morning.
has been a favourite position for police for many years

 

[whoshotjimmi]

I travel this route often and can offer plenty of reassurance to the Otley and Yeadon councillors that the southbound stretch of road rarely breaks an average of 10mph at any time of the day. If people are going to drive up and down it at 60mph, it doesn't matter whether the speed limit is 30, 40 or 2.7....

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Horsforth roundabout traffic solutions could cost £2.8m
7:00am Monday 14th October 2013 in Local news By Annette McIntyre

A £2.8m package of improvements is being put forward to help ease traffic problems on a heavily congested roundabout.

The proposals for Horsforth roundabout have been put forward by Leeds City Council and are expected to be approved by the authority’s Executive Board in December.

The proposed scheme will involve putting traffic signals at the roundabout to help regulate traffic flow. Part of the cost of the work will come from the developers of the former Clariant Works off Calverley Lane.

If the scheme is approved work will start next summer.

Horsforth councillor Brian Cleasby said: “Horsforth roundabout is where both the busy A65 and outer ring road meet and at peak periods there can be long tailbacks. It is a key commuter route into Leeds as well as to the airport and improvements have long since been called for by myself and road users alike.”

“Executive Board is set to consider the scheme in December and I am sure that they will welcome these much needed improvements to our road network.”

She said: “I have been campaigning hard to get the problems of the Horsforth Roundabout resolved by using money from the developers of the Clariant site. If the proposal to add additional lanes and traffic lights around the roundabout is approved by the council in December, it will be great news for local people. By using the developer’s money and contributions from the Council and the Integrated Transport Authority, the ambition is that the scheme would be completed before all the houses are built.”

The roundabout connects New Road Side in Horsforth, to the Ring Road and to Rawdon Road. It is seen as having strategic importance for the city as well as providing a key link for Leeds Bradford Airport.

Read more: http://www.ilkleygazette.co.uk/news/new ... st___2_8m/[/textarea]

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Fresh campaign for Horsforth railway line upgrade has been launched

A campaign for the electrification of a railway line which runs through Horsforth has stepped up a gear with the publication of a detailed business case.

The arguments in favour of the upgrade to the Leeds-Harrogate-York rail line are now set to be presented to Government ministers.

Local politicians, business leaders and other stakeholders met at Harrogate Station on Friday to officially launch the next stage of the campaign to electrify the Leeds to York line.

Supporters of the scheme will now press home the case for electrification to the Government by demonstrating the benefits it will bring to the local economy.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has worked with local councils, Chambers of Trade and Commerce, East Coast Northern Rail, Metro and Network Rail to prepare a comprehensive business case to present to the Department for Transport.

He said: “Electrification could mean faster trains, twice as many trains per hour, plus more early morning and late evening services. It also means upgraded rolling stock, replacing the tired diesel trains operating now. I know from my postbag how welcome this dramatic change in our rail services would be to commuters and other rail users.”

Proposed improvements also include additional car parking at most of the stations on the line, and the creation of a new Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway Station.

Read more: http://www.ilkleygazette.co.uk/news/new ... _launched/[/textarea]

 

[White Heather]

That last paragraph relating to a LBA Parkway station is outdated and incorrect, unless there has been a change in the past couple of weeks, because the proposals put forward do not include a Parkway Station for the airport. That was confirmed at the last Consultative Meeting by the Harrogate Chamber of Commerce representative, Brian Dunsby, who is the same chap that has featured in most of the TV news interviews and who has been campaigning for this electrification for a couple of years now. Such a proposal was not supported by Leeds City Council or LBA because the preferred option remains a tram train for them. It is important to note though that they didn't oppose this application. It is more a case of them keeping the tram train option going I think. If the time comes where it is confirmed as a dead duck, then I would imagine that a parkway station will be back on their agenda, but for now it is seen (understandably) as less attractive than having a tram train station right outside the airport utilising airport land already put aside for that purpose.

 

[rmac]

To me it seems as though this is the most important issue surrounding LBA - the provision of better access and the tram/train option right into the airport is the best one. Nearly every survey report shows many people from near and far all saying LBA is a nightmare for access. When I have used the airport it is nearly always from the north and access via the A658 is pretty good, however most travelers expect either a dual carriageway or motorway or a rail connection from the airport and LBA has neither. I appreciate that the LBA management can do little to get the rail line into the airport so this is where local councillors and authorities need to press the case with urgency.
A motorway cannot really be built, but the new road access to the A65 is possible and this should be high on the agenda too. If the local populace perceive the airport easier to get to many more will use it instead of the hike to Manchester.

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Leeds Bradford Airport bus route could be rescued

A threatened bus route from Otley to Leeds-Bradford Airport could be saved under new proposals put forward by transport chiefs.

The 967 service came under threat after the airport said it would no longer financially support the route.

But now the service looks set to be saved after Metro agreed to reconsider withdrawing the route.

The new plans would mean the axing of the 963 evening service between Ilkley and Otley.

Otley and Yeadon councillor Ryk Downes welcomed the news that the scrapping of the airport route was to be reconsidered and that a public consultation would be held.

Read more: http://www.wharfedaleobserver.co.uk/new ... e_rescued/[/textarea]

 

[lbaspotter]

Interesting development as it may work seen as most of the 963 route is covered by the X84 service.
I suppose the Metro tender funding would only cover the hourly Monday to Saturday off peak and Sunday journeys, Thus meaning that current operator TLC Travel might be happy taking the risk of operating the Monday to Saturday peak daytime journeys commercially. Wither that also means been dropped to an hourly service is anyone's guess!

I bet Pete will be happy hearing this news...

 

[Bigman]

Wouldn't it just make more sense to operate the 967 through to Ilkley and kill 2 birds with one stone. It amazes me that there is no bus from the airport to Ilkley.

 

[Bhowani]

Some of the Ilkley LBA passengers DO use the Menston/LBA 'bus having got to Menston on the train.
The local media report that the Menston/LBA service might be retained if only on an hourly basis. That would probably suffice although an earlier loop through Menston village would be nice. at the moment we have to handball luggage down to the train station and catch the bus there before 0930.
Viva TLC!

Bhowani

 

[rmac]

Would anyone use a Menston-Otley-airport-Horsforth (inc Rail Station) service as Horsforth does not have a link to the airport as well as providing a through route for general use?