Leeds Bradford: Airport Road, Rail & Access Issues

[oldendays]

Greg Mulholland is, of course, from Manchester. Far be it from me to suggest that might be relevant here.

 

[michael]

Greg Mulholland is, of course, from Manchester. Far be it from me to suggest that might be relevant here.

plus he's a Lib Dem. Enough said!

 

[cmj]

Leeds City Council's own stats say with the new link road the new route would make the Leeds Ring Road the prefered and quickest option to both Leeds and Bradford city centres so it's a no brainer the road needs to be built.

Why would you need to use the Leeds Ring Road coming from Leeds city centre? Wouldn't you go up the A65 then onto the new link road?

The problem with the road network in Leeds is that if you 'fix' one problem you just create a load somewhere else. A new link road may improve access to the airport, so you can be stuck in traffic on the ring road or A65 instead.

 

[Aviador]

Sorry I should have made that point clearer, I meant to Bradford city centre not Leeds via the ring road. I take your point about moving the congestion but Leeds City Council says it's dealing with congestion on the ring road with more improvements to come.

 

[Bigman]

I don't see why they cannot build new park-and-ride stations at both High Royds and North of Horsforth. They could link the 2 by a maglev/people mover stopping at the Airport en-route. This would also take a lot of the strain off the A65 through Guiseley. Gradients would not be a problem, plus you could raise it on concrete stilts over the roads.

 

[SNOWMAN]

I don't see why they cannot build new park-and-ride stations at both High Royds and North of Horsforth. They could link the 2 by a maglev/people mover stopping at the Airport en-route. This would also take a lot of the strain off the A65 through Guiseley. Gradients would not be a problem, plus you could raise it on concrete stilts over the roads.

 

[Airplane]

They could use the Heathrow idea of driverless pods.

 

[SNOWMAN]

morning big man
two much sauce last night i fear.

 

[Airplane]

They could use the Heathrow idea of driverless pods.

 

[Bigman]

Not enough actually Snowman.

 

[leedslad]

I've wondered why they couldn't approach the rail link idea in phases. Each phase being a manageable affordable step agreed by all parties.

For example

1. Design and agree upon best rail alignment, secure the required land.
2. Do all the required earth works and drainage plus fund a 100m spur and basic temporary platform from the harrogate line up the newly dug works.
3. Get one old pacer train on the cheap to shuttle back and forth to the new temporary platform and have a bus shuttling up and down the rest of the route.
4. The expensive/complex bit... Go for full electrification and build rest of rails and full new station at the airport, plus the required new trains or trams.
5. If end goal is tram train then eventually build on street rails later

 

[leedslad]

Although I've spoken against a parkway station in the past this would be much more acceptable since it would be a closed system with a dedicated bus route direct into the station and timings could work much better...

 

[leedslad]

Airport bosses reiterating the importance of rail but mentioning a Parkway option as seemingly favourite unfortunately. ; http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/mobi...it-aims-for-7m-passengers.html?news_section=5

Heather would you mind mentioning my suggestion above as I am not sure it's something that would have been considered? That is that any parkway is built on its own 100m branch set on the alignment of any future direct rail link, with the earthworks completed to the airport to allow direct dedicated shuttle bus access....

 

[Bigman]

I am so glad that First West Yorkshire don't operate the LBA services. Yet another bloody strike next week, and open-ended this time to make matters even worse!!!

 

[Seasider]

I am flying out of LBA in November and considering coming on public transport. The timing of the flights make it possible from the East Coast.
What is the bus service like from Leeds Railway Station to the Airport?

 

[ls27]

Service 757 from outside Leeds Railway Station every 20 minutes for most of the day and takes about 20/30 mins depending on to the time of day

 

[Bigman]

When you come out through the barrier, go straight ahead through the glass doors and it the first stop down to the left, right outside the information office. It will be a blue Yorkshire Tiger bus. The electronic bus displays don't always work properly though so don't trust them!! As for things to see en route...watch for the gold Olympic post box (Brownlee brothers) on the left near the Tescos in Horsforth on your way!!

 

[Seasider]

Thank you very much "ls27" & "Bigman". I will look out for the "sights" on the way to the airport.

 

[White Heather]

The most obvious sight on the way is Kirkstall Abbey, 3.5 miles out of Leeds on the left. Well worth a look.

 

[Aviador]

Kirkstall Abbey is one of Leeds' finest treasures which I think is probably undervalued by the majority of the people of Leeds.