Connecting Leeds Newsletter
December 2024
Welcome to the December Connecting Leeds newsletter. We’re wrapping up the year with the latest news, updates and your seasonal travel information.
Plan your Journey Ahead this Festive Season
With festivities in full swing and Christmas around the corner, be sure to keep up to date on the latest ongoing highways improvement schemes during the festive period to avoid your journeys being affected. You can find out more by clicking here.
When planning your festive travel, check out our website which includes useful information on how to get to some key locations in Leeds.
Sparkle and Ride into Leeds this Festive Season 🎄
If you’re planning a trip into Leeds this festive season, make it cheaper, quicker and stress-free with Leeds City Park & Ride.
🚗 Free Parking: Park for free at all sites
💷 Only £4 Return on the bus: Or save 10% when you buy 5 or more. Affordable fares for everyone
👨👩👧👦 Family Friendly: Up to 3 children under 19 travel FREE with each fare-paying adult, including off peak deals
🌟 Off-Peak Deals: Travel after 3pm for just £1.50 return
🟣 Stourton Saturday Special: Bring the whole gang—5 people travel for just £6.50 return
⏰ Frequent Services: Buses every 10-15 minutes at peak times
⚡ Quick Journeys: Just 10-15 minutes to the city centre
Hop on board and let the festivities begin - sparkle and ride your way into the magic of Leeds this Christmas.
Extra First Bus Services for Festive Travel in Leeds
First Bus has announced its festive timetable for Leeds which will cover Christmas and New Year.
The operator is investing in maintaining later journeys on Christmas Eve and will operate a special service on New Year’s Day for the first time.
Up to and including Monday 23 December, services will remain as normal. After this, there will be mainly a Saturday timetable with limited special services operating on certain Bank Holiday dates.
West Yorkshire Police launch festive campaign targeting drink and drug driving
This festive season, West Yorkshire Police is taking a stand to remind everyone of the very real dangers of driving under the influence of drink or drugs with their campaign, The 12 Excuses of Christmas.
The campaign draws attention to some of the most common excuses used by people who engage in this behaviour and serves to remind people that there are no excuses for driving under the influence of drink or drugs, it is always against the law.
If you are going out drinking, plan ahead to stay safe:
- Arrange alternative transport like public transport or a taxi
- Opt for 0% drinks
- As a passenger, encourage friends and family to avoid driving after drinking or taking drugs.
Find out more at the 'Morning After Calculator' and pledge not to drink / drug drive in 2025.
Osmondthorpe Lane Bridge – rail diversions and road closures
Transpennine Route Upgrade works to the railway bridge over Osmondthorpe Lane this Christmas will mean there is a road closure and diversions in place, along with changes to train services.
The works will mean Osmondthorpe Lane, beneath the railway bridge only, will be closed to vehicles and pedestrians between 00.00 on Friday 20 December and 18:00 on Tuesday 31 December. The agreed diversion for traffic from the south side of the bridge will be a signposted diversion via Halton Moor Avenue, Selby Road, York Road and Osmondthorpe Lane.
An alternative walking route is available via Halton Moor Avenue, Wykebeck Mount, Wykebeck pedestrian underpass, Rookwood Road, Rookwood Street and Osmondthorpe Lane.
The main bridge replacement works will be undertaken between 25 and 29 December. As a result, no train services will run between Leeds and Micklefield on 27, 28, 0r 29 December. Northern, TransPennine Express, and CrossCountry services will be affected.
More information can be found at the Transpennine Route Upgrade’s website.Rail passengers are urged to plan their journeys in advance with National Rail Enquiries or with train operators TransPennine Express, CrossCountry or Northern.
A6120 between Rodley Roundabout and Dawsons Corner nearing completion
The route between Rodley roundabout and Dawsons Corner is currently being transformed, with aims to improve connectivity by making it safer and more accessible for walking, wheeling, and cycling. Upgraded street lighting has been installed and final touches like surfacing, kerbing, benches, bins, landscaping and tree planting are coming soon.
Work on this phase (phase 5) is nearing completion and will be finished early in the new year.
In another phase (phase 2) of Connecting West Leeds, we are making good progress for a summer 2025 finish between Horsforth and Rodley roundabouts. This scheme provides highway widening from Horsforth roundabout along with footway and cycleway improvements.
Consultation results published for Leeds Streets for All - Armley, Bramley & Stanningley, Kirkstall Road
Results of our consultation, where residents in the wards of Armley, Bramley & Stanningley, and Kirkstall could comment on their local transport issues has now been published.
Find out about what residents told us on the five themed heatmaps and our potential suggested steps when funding becomes available.
Leeds City Bikes reach 100,000 trips
Leeds City Bikes has hit a big milestone, riders have clocked up 100,000 trips since launching last year, an achievement Beryl and the Connecting Leeds Team are delighted to have reached.
100k trips is equal to:
- 240,000km travelled
- 26,000 hours of physical activity
- 7.5 tonnes of carbon emissions saved
Ride Leeds City Bikes? Play Beryl Bingo to be in with a chance to win 200 free minutes.
Bradford Interchange Bus Station reopening –
5 January 2025
Preparations have been taking place to ensure a welcoming and safe reopening of Bradford Interchange Bus Station. Bus services will restart from the upper concourse on 5 January 2025.
Due to ongoing resurfacing works in the Interchange, a small number of services will remain on-street.
Ways you can find support:
- Check out the latest information here
- Ask support staff in the Interchange and at key on-street locations from 5 January
- Visit the Travel Centre in the bus station
- Call MetroLine on 0113 245 7676.
Season's Greetings and the end of the year round-up
It’s been a very busy 2024 for Connecting Leeds, with some major schemes commencing.
The year has also marked the completion of unprecedented works, including:
- Western Gateway scheme which provided new walking and cycling improvements from Kirkstall Road to the city centre.
- Armley Gyratory – the removal and replacement of the Geldard Road footbridge, and the installation of the new Spence Lane footbridge. The two new bridges include more accessible footways and are designed to require less future maintenance work. The scheme is set to complete in spring 2025.
- A6120 Fink Hill Highway Scheme- the completed scheme aims to improve connectivity in the area, provide new facilities for pedestrians and cycle users, and improve congestion.
- New York Road tunnel finished ahead of schedule in July, replacing 27 bridge bearings.
- The Meanwood Road Junction improvement scheme was completed, adding safer pedestrian crossings, wider pavements, and a protected cycle track.
- The launch of two new School Streets, as well as 44,072 pupils trained in 586 safe and sustainable travel sessions in schools across Leeds
Ongoing schemes, including the next phase of the A660 scheme, will continue into the new year for completion in early 2025.
Further works are expected to commence in the new year, including the next phase of A660, an addition of a cycle lane on Whitehall Road as part of a new active travel scheme, the beginning of construction of Leeds City Links, as well as improvements to Lawnswood Roundabout.
And finally...
We hope you have a lovely festive period. Please stay safe when travelling during the winter months,
The Connecting Leeds team
