Transforming travel by bus and Park and Ride

One of the main routes into the city centre from south Leeds, Wakefield and beyond, the A639/A61S includes proposals to improve bus journey times from Wakefield to Leeds, via Hunslet, Stourton and Robin Hood.       

Outline plans were approved by Leeds city council’s Executive Board in July 2018 with a construction partner being brought onto the scheme in February 2019. Work started in October 2019 and is scheduled to be complete by March 2021.       

The plans aim to allow buses to bypass general traffic through the implementation of bus lanes. Segregated cycle lanes and enhanced pedestrian facilities and crossings will also be included in the improvement works. In addition, as part of the route we also are going to deliver a dedicated 1,200 space Park and Ride site in Stourton.        

Construction hours and bus diversions

Construction hours are Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6pm, and 7:30am to 3pm on Saturdays. To minimise disruption to flow of traffic, work on the carriageway will be limited to:       

• 9:30am to 6pm on the inbound carriageway (Thwaite Gate to Leeds city centre)
• 7:30am to 3:30pm on the outbound carriageway (Leeds city centre to Thwaite Gate)

The main site office is located at Bridgewater Road with a satellite compound at the junction of Wakefield Road and Pontefract Road. Buses will continue to operate during construction, and Metro will publicise any changes to bus routes or locations of temporary stopsExternal link in advance.       

Sign up for A61S scheme updatesExternal link.       

Find out about our plans for the A61NExternal link.        

Construction will take place Monday to Friday, with temporary traffic signals at the junction of Holt Lane and the A660.       

The hours of work will be 7:30am to 3:30pm, with works to the carriageway starting at 9:30am to reduce traffic disruption.       

Delays will be possible until Spring 2020.       

Highway ground investigation works started on 6 November 2019, with the majority now completed.       

Traffic signal surveys and vegetation clearance are expected to start in February 2020, before the main works start May 2020.       

After consulting on travel improvement plans along this route during August to October 2018, BAM Nuttall were appointed to undertake construction. In May 2020, the main construction work will start along the A647 between Bradford and Leeds, via Stanningley, Bramley and Armley.       

Night works will take place from 7pm to 6am, Monday to Friday. The day time hours of work are 7am to 6pm, but no works are planned to be carried out within the carriageway during day time shifts.       

When traffic management is required, this will be communicated.       

After last year’s consultation, the plans have been revised. The changes are that:       

• existing access to Armley Park Road from Canal Road will be closed. This is to allow the junction of Pickering Street and Canal Road to be upgraded to a signalised junction. Access to Canal Road would still be possible using alternative routes (for example, via Aviary Road)
• existing on-street parking will be kept along Armley Park Road. When the Armley Park Road junction with Canal Road has been closed, improvements will be made to the pedestrian crossing facilities between Pickering Street and Canal Road. This will help movement between the two areas

Find out more about our plans for the A647External link.       

Find out about our plans to improve the bus network between Oakwood, Roundhay and LeedExternal link.

Elland Road Park and Ride has been hugely successful in reducing the number of cars travelling into the city. Demand can sometimes be greater than the 800 spaces provided, so we are expanding the site to provide an extra 550 spaces, creating 1,350 spaces in total in response to public demand. This will provide spaces for existing users and also encourage others to use Park and Ride.

Once the site is complete, we plan to increase peak time bus frequency to every 6 to 7 minutes to cope with additional demand. There will also be some routing changes:        

• buses travelling from the city centre to Elland Road Park and Ride – buses will access the Park and Ride site directly from the roundabout at M621 junction 2, reducing the amount of bus traffic along Elland Road
• buses travelling from the Park and Ride to the city centre – buses will continue to exit the Park and Ride site and travel into the city via Elland Road

The extension plans have been through two phases of public consultation and after design updates, planning permission was approved by Leeds City Council’s Plans Panel in January 2019. Following formal council processes, BAM Nuttall and their sub-contractors Mott McDonald were chosen as construction partners for this scheme last summer.       

See visual plans of the proposed extension for Elland RoadExternal link .       

If you wish to receive a drawing of the Elland Road Park and Ride extension or further information regarding the justification of this scheme, please email connectingleeds@leeds.gov.uk.       

How Park and Ride will be affected during the extension works

Construction hours will be between 7:30am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and 7:30am to 3pm on Saturdays. Advance notice will be given if there are any plans to work outside of these hours.        

The construction vehicles will enter the site via Lowfields Road to reduce disruption on Elland Road. On match days construction will stop several hours before kick-off to reduce disruption.       

Buses will continue to operate during the construction of the extension, and there will be temporary overflow parking at Fullerton Car Park. Park and Ride users will be diverted to this car park when arriving at the site.       

The Temple Green site currently has 1,000 spaces and is nearly full on certain days. Connecting Leeds are considering plans to extend the site by approximately 400 spaces. We will consult with any affected residents or stakeholders before seeking planning approval.       

Traffic flows show that over 25 per cent of commuters along Harrogate Road are travelling to the city centre with limited alternative travel options. Our analysis shows that there is high demand for a Park and Ride facility here, especially for commuters from countryside areas on the edge of north Leeds. This would better connect these often rural areas to the city, giving more options for travel and expanding city centre employment options further afield.       

Connecting Leeds are consulting with local residents, commuters from north Leeds and various stakeholders on proposals for a Park and Ride facility at Alwoodley Gates, opposite The Grammar School at Leeds. This would be smaller than the main sites in Leeds and would aim to reduce congestion into the city centre along Harrogate Road (A61).       

Find out more about the Alwoodley Gates Park and Ride plans.       

In January 2019, Leeds City Council’s Plans Panel approved planning for a Park and Ride site located off the M621 in Stourton. This will include a smart energy grid which will enhance the low carbon credentials of the site by creating a solar canopy that will cover one third of the spaces and generate total renewable energy. There will be on-site bus and car charging. This scheme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. 

Watch our Stourton plans videoExternal link       

Construction

BAM Nuttall have been appointed by the council as a delivery partner and will start enabling works on-site from mid August 2019. This will include:       

• setting up a temporary site compound accessed via Middleton Ring Road
• putting in place tree protection measures
• securing the site with fencing
• further tree planting and screening for adjacent areas to the site

Main construction access will be from Junction 7 M621 slip road with initial access via Middleton Ring Road. Main works on the site will commence at the end of Autumn.       

Hours of construction

For more information please contact us at connectingleeds@leeds.gov.uk or call 0113 222 4407.       

Benefits for the city

Stourton Park and Ride will:       

• provide a world class gateway into Leeds City centre from the M1/M621: ensuring every major route from the south, east and west has the option of using Park and Ride facilities
• form part of a wider strategy for the Wakefield to Leeds route: Proposals include bus lanes, smart traffic lights and limited stop bus services, helping deliver quick and reliable journey times for existing bus users
• provide better connections between Stourton, Middleton and Belle Isle: the site will ensure communities are better connected by foot, cycle and car, whilst providing direct, affordable and convenient bus travel. This will give locals access to employment and training opportunities along Hunslet Road and Leeds city centre
• help us create a more people-focused city: Having fewer cars on the streets frees up space for people, enabling us to create more healthy and liveable streets in which to move around, spend time and have fun

Benefits for the local community

Stourton Park and Ride will have the following features:       

• an ideal location on the road network, with direct access from the M621 motorway and Wakefield Road (A61 South). This will reduce the number of vehicles using Hunslet Road, benefiting residents of Middleton and Belle Isle when accessing the city centre
• access to more frequent bus services for those living within walking distance of the site. Proposals will complement planned investment in existing bus services with brand new buses to be introduced on services 12 and 13
• a new bus lane along Wakefield Road past the site to help deliver quicker and more reliable services for existing bus users travelling to Leeds from Rothwell, Lofthouse and Wakefield
• waiting restrictions in the area surrounding the site will be developed in consultation with local residents to ensure vehicles using the site do not cause disruption for people living nearby
• the site will be limited to 1,200 spaces, including dedicated disabled, family and motorcycle bays. Former proposals to enable further expansion of the site in future are not now being progressed, as a direct consequence of concerns raised about the impact of a larger site by the local community.
• secure cycle storage to help promote ‘cycle and ride’, with better routes for cyclists linking the site to Middleton and Belle Isle
• existing footpaths between Parnaby Road and Ring Road Middleton will be diverted through the site to avoid impacting on Hunslet Cemetery
• zero emission electric buses will serve the site every 10 to 15 minutes from early morning into the evening
• electric vehicle charging points will promote zero emission car use
• extensive landscaping using raised banks, plants, hedges and evergreen trees to provide screening from the surrounding residential areas and Hunslet Cemetery and promote a clean and green site
• CCTV will cover both the site itself and the neighbouring Hunslet Cemetery, increasing security for local residents in the area
• plans for the site include solar panels, a ‘green wall’ lined with deciduous plants and facilities such as a changing places toilet and a café

Find out more about the Stourton Park and Ride proposals.