Agenda item

To receive a report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the changes required to existing bus services to facilitate the development of Boar Lane undercroft as part of the Trinity West scheme

(report attached)

A colour copy of the plan accompanying the report can be viewed on the internet and an A3 sized colour plan has been included with Members’ papers

  Plans of the proposals were displayed at the meeting

  Members considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer providing information on the strategy to relocate bus services currently located on Boar Lane in the undercroft of the Leeds Shopping Plaza – to be known as Trinity West to facilitate that development

  Officers presented the report and stated that there were currently 8 bus stops but that it was felt that 5 stops would be sufficient to accommodate the buses as this would enable up to 20 buses per hour to stop in this location

  Members had regard to a colour site plan which indicated the stops being considered for alteration and were informed that stop T3A would be removed for the NGT service and stop T4 would be relocated to accommodate the NGT service, this being resited on Duncan Street

  A new stop would be provided on Infirmary Street and stop P5 in City Square would become a prestigious location for a prominent transport hub which would also include the NGT services.  The articulated bus service, Route 4, would also stop at P5 and buses serving St James Hospital would be regrouped at this point

  Three other stops, P6A, T2 and T3 would be enhanced with improved shelters and real time information

  The proposals would continue to provide conveniently located stops and would create an improved route at the side of Holy Trinity Church

  Members were informed that the proposals had the support of Metro, subject to the developer funding the improvements to the stops; contributing to the NGT interchange and the public information which would be needed on the relocation of the stops.  The proposals would need to be ratified by the Metro Board

  Members discussed the following matters:

·  whether bus operators had been consulted on the proposals

·  concerns at possible blockages on stands G and H sited on Infirmary Street as these were already busy with concerns that often the FTR bus had difficulties in exiting Infirmary Street

·  the relocation of stop P8 to G; that this was congested; that the next stop at T4 was too far away and whether stop P6A would be at capacity

·  that bus stops could be relocated if the proposals did not work, but that there was only one chance to improve this part of Boar Lane

·  that stop P8 needed to be given further consideration

·  that the changes to New Station Street with the introduction of buses stopping directly outside the railway station had not worked out as envisaged and had an adverse impact and concerns that the proposals being put forward could result in a similar situation

The Panel’s Highways representative stated that bus operators had

been involved in discussions on this and had signed up to the proposals.  The scheme had been considered both with and without NGT and Officers were satisfied that the proposals would work.  Members were informed that this particular part of the NGT proposals did have funding allocated to it

  RESOLVED -  To note the report and the comments now made