Decision details

Connecting West Leeds (CWL) Phase 1 Schemes:

Authority to spend circa £11m+ on the Design and Construction of three Phase 1 schemes funded by The Department for Transport Levelling Up Fund and West Yorkshire Combined Authority administered West Yorkshire + Transport Fund.

The Chief Officer Highways and Transportation:

a)  Noted the Highway Board approval in June 2020 of the preliminary design for Fink Hill \ ORR junction and Executive Board approval in June 2021 to support the Round 1 LUF bid for CWL which received approval from The Department of Transport (DfT) in November 2021;

b)  Approved the designs (Appendices 1 and 2) and authorise the expenditure on phase 1 schemes, Fink Hill \ ORR £7.097m, Horsforth Merge £1.98m and Horsforth to Rodley footway and cycle links £2.168m, funded from Levelling up funding £7.988m and WY+TF £3.257m;

c)  Noted the balance of funding £12.012m on the LUF CWL for phase 2 which will be brought forward to Highways Board in spring of 2023 once schemes have been agreed and designs are finalised;

d)  Noted that the early enabling works will be facilitated by Parks and Countryside services utilising their framework;

e)  Approved delivery of early enabling works, namely, utility works £1.288m and tree clearance circa £70k;

f)  Authorised the City Solicitor to advertise a notice under the provision of Section 23 of the Highways Act 1980 associated with the provision of a pedestrian crossing and if no valid objections are received, to implement the pedestrian crossing as advertised;

g)   Authorised the City Solicitor to make and advertise a draft Traffic Regulation Order to implement waiting restrictions as shown on the attached drawing number 732827-LCC-HWT-FH-DR-CH-TRO_01 shown in Appendix 5, and if no valid objections are received, to make, seal and implement the Traffic Regulation Order as advertised.

h)  Authorised the City Solicitor to make and advertise a draft Traffic Regulation Order to implement a clearway restriction on the Ring Road from Fink Hill to Dawsons Corner and if no valid objections are received, to make, seal and implement the Traffic Regulation Order as advertised.

i)  Authorised the City Solicitor to make and advertise a draft Traffic Regulation Order to implement a No parking, loading or unloading on footway or cycle track order where applicable along the route and if no valid objections are received, to make, seal and implement the Traffic Regulation Order as advertised

j)  Authorised the City Solicitor to make and advertise a draft Speed Limit Order to implement a consistent 50mph speed limit from on the Leeds Outer Ring Road and Stanningley By Pass from Horsforth Roundabout to Henconner Lane flyover and if no valid objections are received, to make, seal and implement the Speed Limit Order as advertised.

k)  Authorised the City Solicitor to make and advertise an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order introducing a section of one way on Manor Road (Eastbound between A65 New Road Side and Manor Gate to address potential rat running to avoid the works. The impact of the one way on other routes and in the vicinity will to be assess periodically during the works.  A provision shall be included to enable the Chief Highways Officer to modify or suspend the Order during the period of the experiment.

l)  At the end of the 18-month experimental period to give appropriate consideration to making the Order permanent incorporating any modifications considered appropriate following the monitoring of the measures.

m)  Approved with reference to the powers contained in Section 66(4) of the Highways Act 1980, that the relevant lengths of footway shown on attached drawings (TM-00-471-MISC-01/02) as proposed cycle tracks are removed and that following the removal of the footways, cycle tracks are constructed under the powers contained under the provisions of section 65(1) of the Highways Act 1980 for segregated or shared joint use by pedal cyclists and pedestrians.

n)  Noted that the Chief Officer (Highways and Transportation) is responsible for the programme delivery, with a target completion date of March 2024.

For section 1 Fink Hill / Outer Ring Road scheme the public consultation was undertaken on 27 January 2020 for a period of four weeks and closed on 24 February 2020, to allow the public to express their views as pedestrians, cyclists, bus users, motorists, business owners or residents. Feedback was invited by:

§  Online portal – Commonplace linked via Connecting Leeds website https://finkhill.commonplace.is/proposals/fink-hill-junction-improvement-scheme

§  In person at Horsforth Library;

§  In person at a public drop in information event (Emmanuel Baptist Church, Horsforth; and

§  By email, phone or letter

More recently, CWL Phase 1 consultation was launched for sections 2 and 3, namely, Horsforth Merge and Horsforth to Rodley cycle and footway link on 16^th November 2021 and ran until 12^th December 2021. Engagement was online via the Connecting Leeds Commonplace www.connectingwestleeds.commonplace with a public drop-in event which was held on 24^th November 2021 at St Margaret’s Parish Centre, Horsforth. Section 1 scheme was also sign posted during this consultation without seeking feedback due to the consultation in 2020. Where feedback was given this was addressed by the project team.

The following key stakeholders have also been consulted:

§  Executive Board Member for Infrastructure and Climate;

§  Local Ward Members;

§  Internal LCC Officers;

§  Members of Public (online and drop in event);

§  Bus Infrastructure Sub- Group; and

§  Cycle Sub-Group.