As West Yorkshire Combined Authority consults on ambitious proposals for public transport options in Leeds and Bradford, we urge local people who walk, wheel or cycle to give their views. It’s a vital new investment that must work in tandem with existing and planned active travel routes.
Two women cycling along the Spen Valley Greenway. PHOTO: Chris Foster/Sustrans
People across West Yorkshire are giving their views on Mayor Tracy Brabin’s exciting, ambitious and ‘transformative’ proposals for a large-scale public transport ‘mass transit’ system across Leeds and Bradford.
As part of the devolution deal from government, West Yorkshire Combined Authority received over £870 million. This unprecedented funding is designed to upgrade the region’s transport, tackle inequality and encourage economic growth.
The combined authority wants ‘to provide an integrated and inclusive transport network’, linking with walking and cycling routes.
The first phase will build two new tram lines, one connecting central and South Leeds, and the other between Bradford and Leeds.
The combined authority wants to hear which routes people favour.
They also want views on how to deliver a mass transit system while looking after the needs of the environment, society and economy.
As plans for the new tram lines develop, we must ensure they also enhance our existing and planned routes for travelling on foot, wheelchair or cycle.
If you’re local, please do contribute and have your say on the proposals.
Giving people more choice of how to travel
Recent research by Sustrans found people want more options when it comes to making journeys.
The 2023 Walking and Cycling Index, representative of 18 urban areas and regions, showed 24% of people want to drive less, yet 36% often use a car because no other transport options are available.
The report also showed that 56% of people supported shifting investment from road building schemes to fund walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport.
2023 Walking and Cycling Index
56%
of people said they supported shifting investment from road building schemes to fund walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport
24%
of people said they want to drive less
New tram lines in Leeds and Bradford will be instrumental in helping people make more journeys by public transport, as well as active travel.
Research by Greener Journeys found that nearly a quarter of car users would consider switching to public transport if journey times were quicker and more reliable.
They will also help people get around more quickly and affordably – particularly important as cars are become increasingly unaffordable for a lot of people.
Trams run on segregated tracks away from traffic, resulting in quicker, more reliable journeys and carry more passengers compared to cars or buses.
That makes them ideal for densely populated areas or during peak hours, as they help alleviate congestion on our roads and reduce overall traffic.
Making it easier for people to use public transport has many benefits.
As well as reducing traffic, it improves air quality and creates a more pleasant environment for people to walk, wheel or cycle.
People cycling on the canal towpath at Saltaire. PHOTO: Simon Dewhurst Photography.
Reducing inequality
And we know that good public transport reduces inequality.
Nationally, the bus is the most-used public transport mode for people on lower incomes.
National Statistics data shows that nearly nine per cent of all trips by those in the lowest incomes are by local bus, compared to three per cent for those on the highest incomes.
Sustrans research found young people aged 16-24 year made 21% fewer trips compared to working age adults of 25-64 years in 2019 with the gap widening over the past 20 years.
Young people also make more trips by public transport than any other age group, with four in five saying they rely on it.
High quality public transport is vital for young people. Without it they couldn’t reach education, jobs, see friends and family or expand their horizons to become independent adults.
Enhancing existing active travel routes
And remember that most public transport journeys start with a walk or a wheel.
So it’s vital that West Yorkshire's proposed mass transit system retains existing active travel routes, and continues to develop a joined-up network that everyone can enjoy.
A recent study in Greater Manchester found 95% of people using public transport, walk as part of their journey at some point.
As cycle routes improve, people want the flexibility of cycling from home to a station, with the option to park their bikes or take them on the train or tram.
West Yorkshire has many miles of popular linear traffic-free paths, known as greenways. Many of them are part of the National Cycle Network and are havens for wildlife and nature.
Thousands of people walk or cycle all or part of their journeys to school or work along these leafy, traffic-free paths. They are part of the existing transport system, and pass close to stations and bus stops.
Sustrans would like to see these greenways, as well as future active travel routes, link up to safer connections on the roads between residential areas and transport hubs, schools, and workplaces.
That would provide choice for people to travel on foot, wheelchair or bike, and to enjoy the access to nature these routes provide.
The easier, safer and more pleasant we can make our routes for people to walk, wheel or cycle to the bus or tram stop, the more likely people will leave their cars at home and use the fantastic new mass transit system.
The public consultation for West Yorkshire’s Mass Transit Phase One closes on 30 September.
If you live or work in West Yorkshire please give your views.
