Agenda item

To receive the report of the Chief Officer Highways and Transport which provides the Community Committee with feedback from the Transport Conversation and specifically the feedback from this committee and community area, as well as a summary of the Leeds wide transport proposals and development of a Leeds Transport Strategy.

(Report attached)

Paul Foster, Highways and Transport and Tom Gifford West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) presented the report of the Chief Officer Highways and Transport. The report provided the Community Committee with an update on the Leeds Transport Conversation which had taken place in Autumn 2016.

The officers informed the Committee that 557 responses were received from the Inner West area which was 7% of the total respondents. The responses received showed that the preferred mode of transport was the car followed by train and then bus. The responses had also shown that people wished to see improvements to cycle facilities, a more reliable bus service and investment in the train service.

The Committee were informed of the following issues facing the Inner West area and of ongoing work in the area:-

·  Study to look at future technology which would be reported back with the next update;

·  Cycle Strategy to look at uptake on the current cycle routes and further investment to cycle routes;

·  A report to go to Executive Board in relation to a mandate from Central Government regarding the air quality issues for the city;

·  Plans revealed for the new Leeds rail station in readiness for HS2;

·  Ongoing work in respect of looking at solutions for better connectivity in communities;

·  Working with partners to address issues with bus corridors;

·  Investment in 284 new buses for the city

·  Remedial works to City Connect in relation to shared areas for cyclists and pedestrians. Although it was noted that funding for this work would come from Central Government not from the £173.5m;

·  Working on a scheme for Armley Gyratory which would assist cyclists, pedestrians and better movement of traffic.

Members were informed that details of all the schemes could be found on the Council’s website.

The Committee heard that consultation in relation to bus services and issues was to take place in the new year.

Members were informed that improvements were planned for the following facilities in the Inner West area:-

·  Bramley bus station;

·  Bramley train station;

·  Cardigan Fields; and

·  Kirkstall Forge.

The Committee discussed the following issues in the Inner West area:-

·  The need for better connectivity within the Inner West area;

·  The use of mini buses to provide better connectivity;

·  Misuse of cycle lanes, including parking in the cycle lanes and enforcement issues in relation to this;

·  Use of a 4 track system on the rail network;

·  Issues in relation to Kirkstall Road;

·  Bus services in the area particularly, reliability, frequency, connectivity, and evening services;

·  Reliability of real time information;

·  The use of a Yorkshire dialect for audio announcements; and

·  Efficiency of new buses

In response to discussions and questions raised the Committee were provided with the following information:-

·  Would explore the use of mini buses for connectivity in the area;

·  Another study was being undertaken to address issues on Kirkstall Road with a view for a better scheme;

·  Enforcement did take place in relation to parking in cycle lanes, contact details were provided to Members;

·  Leeds rail station was currently unable to cope with the amount of trains using the station as it did not have enough platforms to enable swift movement of passengers entering or existing trains -  Network Rail were looking at this issue;

·  ‘Bus 18’ had been relaunched with pledges made by the 3 major operators and WYCA for a more reliable service and for payments to be made for missed buses;

·  New Buses would be to Euro 6 Standard.

RESOLVED – To:-

·  Note the feedback from the Transport Conversation and its input into the £173.5m public

transport improvements and informing a wider transport strategy for the City and the Inner West area over the next 20 years.

·  Note the overall progression of Leeds Transport and LPTIP Schemes in Leeds overall.

·  Note progression of the major transport schemes within the Inner West Area.

·  Provide feedback to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority on the proposals for the Transport Hubs and network proposals