Last chance to take part in Mass Transit consultation

27 September 2024

The Mass Transit plans consultation, launched by Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin in the summer, comes to an end next week

Thousands of the region’s residents have already had their say on the plans, which attracted public support from the likes of Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust and Leeds and Bradford councils.

Phase one of the Mass Transit network aims to connect St James’s Hospital with south Leeds, with another line running between Bradford city centre and Leeds city centre.

Leeds and Bradford have been chosen as the hubs from which the West Yorkshire mass transit network can grow, as they are the region’s most concentrated centres of population, business, leisure and retail.

Two of the four route options linking St James’s Hospital with Leeds city centre run close to many of the city’s higher education institutions.

Professor Peter Slee, Vice Chancellor of Leeds Beckett University and chair of the Leeds Anchor Network of major Leeds organisations, said:

“A mass transit network would provide a clean and sustainable means of better connecting our city:  benefitting our public and private sector employers, local communities and our education providers.

This transformative scheme would make the region more attractive to potential employers seeking to locate their businesses in a city and region that offers a range of future talent and a better quality of life for their existing workforce.  

“The city boasts 110,000 students across its higher education providers. This wealth of talent is crucial to the economic success of our city and our economy. Mass transit will not only connect them to future employers I hope it will open up access to university for many more people across West Yorkshire in the future.”

All potential phase one options for the Leeds Line will also run to the White Rose Centre, with other places the proposed route options could connect including Leeds General Infirmary, The South Bank, Holbeck and Beeston.

The Bradford Line will connect people between Bradford city centre and Leeds city centre with the proposed route options aiming to connect areas like Thornbury, Laisterdyke, Pudsey, Armley and Wortley.

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said:

“We've had a fantastic response to the consultation so far, but now is your last chance to tell us what you think of our route options.

“It isn’t just about getting from A to B – Mass Transit is a crucial part of our growth mission in West Yorkshire and will help attract investment into the region and boost 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 results of the consultation, alongside further environmental and design refinement work, will help the West Yorkshire Combined Authority make a decision on an emerging preferred route for the Leeds and Bradford lines in the coming months. More detailed plans will then be developed and consulted on in late 2025.

The Mass Transit Phase One Route Options Consultation ends at 11.59pm on Monday, September 30.