Leeds Bradford: Airport Road, Rail & Access Issues

[LsS27]

Just as a correction about Leeds City Council buying non electric buses. The First Group are responsible for buying the new buses. York are having about twenty new all electric buses (battery) for the Park and Ride services. These buses have been ordered with large government grants, and will be used by -First York. The buses are being built in Sherburn in Elmet by Optare.

 

[White Heather]

Agreed LsS27 - Leeds City Council haven't bought a bus since the early 70s. As for using electric buses in Leeds, most of the routes operated, and the terrain covered, makes electric buses unsuitable on most routes. The routes are too long and too many hills in Leeds, so the buses are likely to have to be withdrawn during the day for re-charging, meaning more vehicles required, more crews and more costs. Of course, they could have opted for a trolley bus scheme. Oh wait - they did! And that was canned. York is generally flat and the routes are short, so perfect for electric buses. If Leeds were to use them then I would imagine the Elland Road park and ride, with a route distance of only 3 miles each way on flat terrain would be ideal. If we want electric in Leeds, only a tram system will work successfully - provided of course nobody turns the power off!!

 

[lbaspotter]

Don't get me started about First Leeds, they have just cancelled the order for the next batch of hybrid double deck Volvo, Wright Streetdecks which were due for delivery imintley. The buses have been built and painted into Leeds City Green livery, but they have so many faults they won't accept them.
What happens next is anyone's guess, they either remain in storage, get fixed or sold off.

First Leeds do have a batch of around 9+ single deck Electric Buses ordered from local bus bulider Optare . These will be for the route 5 (Holton Moor - Leeds) and the new Park & Ride (PR3) service to Stourton.

 

[LsS27]

Or a system as in Harrogate where they charge up in the bus station with an overhead pantogragh. The new electric buses in in York are ones like the one tried in Leeds a couple of years or so and are for the Park and Ride routes There has been a single deck Optare electic bus been on trial in Leeds. The WrightBus Streetdecks are I believe Hybids

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Agreed LsS27 - Leeds City Council haven't bought a bus since the early 70s. As for using electric buses in Leeds, most of the routes operated, and the terrain covered, makes electric buses unsuitable on most routes. The routes are too long and too many hills in Leeds, so the buses are likely to have to be withdrawn during the day for re-charging, meaning more vehicles required, more crews and more costs. Of course, they could have opted for a trolley bus scheme. Oh wait - they did! And that was canned. York is generally flat and the routes are short, so perfect for electric buses. If Leeds were to use them then I would imagine the Elland Road park and ride, with a route distance of only 3 miles each way on flat terrain would be ideal. If we want electric in Leeds, only a tram system will work successfully - provided of course nobody turns the power off!!

The TFL report on electric buses shows that they can work on any terrain and have charging points at a terminus when drivers are having their statutory rests. A full charge gives on average 6 to 8 hours running and a 5 minute top up gives 20 to 30 miles.
It may be hydrogen buses are the future, trials show they run further and charge faster then electric, or the move to Fluorine ions from Lithium ions may be the step change the industry has been searching for.
The industry has set a bench mark to match a full battery charge time to the time taken to refuel a tank of petrol, the aim is for a time between 10 and 30 seconds for a full charge on a car.
Once again the motor racing industry is leading the way in research, the spin of from Formula E has taken battery technology to a new level and South Yorkshire is where its based.
There are plenty of routes where an electric bus could be run in Leeds, getting the charging points in place will have to be done route by rote, why not start Leeds to Harrogate, one end already set up.
I accept the cost of hydrogen or electic is far higher then present options.

 

[White Heather]

Don't get me started about First Leeds, they have just cancelled the order for the next batch of hybrid double deck Volvo, Wright Streetdecks which were due for delivery imintley. The buses have been built and painted into Leeds City Green livery, but they have so many faults they won't accept them.
What happens next is anyone's guess, they either remain in storage, get fixed or sold off.

First Leeds do have a batch of around 9+ single deck Electric Buses ordered from local bus bulider Optare . These will be for the route 5 (Holton Moor - Leeds) and the new Park & Ride (PR3) service to Stourton.

The Halton Moor to Leeds route is very short though isn't it, and doesn't involve climbing any long hills, which most routes out of the city do. The same can be said of the PR3 route to Stourton, which is almost completely flat.

 

[cmj]

If Leeds wants to get serious about being 'carbon neutral' where's the mass rapid transit system? Where are the schools you can walk to (with places.. we're having to drive 2 miles to school despite there being two less than half a mile from us). Why are there massive housing developments which are only realistically accessible with a car...

It's all a lot of hot air (pun intended).

 

[Finger66]

With an exhaustive analysis (pun also intended)

 

[Bigman]

I have just been reading on the Wharfedale Observer website that there are plans to divert the 747 so that it does not serve Yeadon. I can only guess that they are proposing that it comes straight up Harrogate Road from Rawdon Lights and thus misses the whole of the bottom end and Kirk Lane leaving naff all buses up to Yeadon centre. Kirk Lane would presumably have no service at all!! Can we have some comment please @lbaspotter being our resident bus guru?

 

[Bigman]

...sorry this should be on the Road, Rail and Access thread. I must have clicked on the wrong thread. Mods feel free to move it!"!

 

[lbaspotter]

I have just been reading on the Wharfedale Observer website that there are plans to divert the 747 so that it does not serve Yeadon. I can only guess that they are proposing that it comes straight up Harrogate Road from Rawdon Lights and thus misses the whole of the bottom end and Kirk Lane leaving naff all buses up to Yeadon centre. Kirk Lane would presumably have no service at all!! Can we have some comment please @lbaspotter being our resident bus guru?

To be honest with you this is the first I've heard of this. I maybe something to do with the new tendering process for the routes 737, 747 & 757 which are all up for renewal sometime during October if I remember correctly.

I wonder if the airport stipulated new conditions, eg faster journeys to Bradford & Apperley Brigde rail station using 747 whilst 737 continues to go around the houses via Yeadon & Shipley?

 

[Bigman]

Maybe one solution would be to divert the 27 to operate via Kirk Lane instead of Queensway, thus keeping a service on Kirk Lane. The 34 and 737 would still serve Queensway.

 

[Bigman]

I guess that Sunday 27th October is going to be a bit challenging. I understand that this will be another BA strike day. Probably just as well if you are planning to travel from Leeds. The Abbey Dash is on which will shut a load of roads, and there will be no trains into Leeds City station due to major re-modelling works.

 

[Aviador]

Spoiler: Ideas?

Now due to preying eyes this is for registered members only. Has anyone else noticed the large earth moving equipment carrying out some kind of work on Bayton Lane.The location is the area that would become the crossing point for the airport link road option A. Could be nothing but thought it was worth a mention

 

[LBA787]

Anyone know what’s going on with the land where Horsforth golf clubs driving range was?

 

[Aviador]

I've heard different things but it's VERY close to where the proposed link road is expected to route for option A/B so it's anyone's guess.

Are we every going to get an announcement for that one way or another?

 

[Finger66]

Well it is of massive importance........

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I heard the club are levelling the practice field and improving drainage. Nothing to do with infrastructure.

 

[lbaspotter]

I've heard in past few days that talk in town is a planning application will be submitted by Leeds City Council during next summer for the proposed Parkway Rail Station.

 

[White Heather]

Regarding Horsforth Golf Club and its practice ground, as an ex member there I tried to find out and did so on t'internet. They are changing it into a proper driving range I understand which is probably why they have created a raised embankment at the clubhouse end. It is nothing to do with the road and although close, is not in the line of either proposed route A or B. They go either side of it.