Devolution is making a real difference in West Yorkshire.
We’ve approved a £1 billion landmark budget to help make our region a better place for everyone. Building on what we’ve already achieved, we’ll use this funding to create opportunities, support local communities, and better connect our towns and cities.
Read on to see how we are already making a difference to our communities.
In the last ten years, since devolution, we’ve used new powers and long-term funding to help us deliver projects that create opportunities, strengthen communities, and connect our towns and cities. Everything we do is focused on improving life for the 2.4 million people who live and work here.
We’ve worked closely with our five district councils. This has helped us accelerate major schemes, support local priorities, and invest in what really matters.
From better transport and skills programmes to business support and cleaner, greener neighbourhoods, devolution has given us the tools to act with greater ambition and impact.
Now, with new powers and our first-ever integrated settlement of £2 billion, we’re going to go even further, faster.
See what’s been achieved so far, the difference it’s making on the ground, and how we’re building a fairer, stronger West Yorkshire for the future.
Since 2014, we’ve built or upgraded 10 bus and rail stations to improve your journey, an investment of £111 million.
We now have two new bus stations: Castleford and Halifax. We’ve also added three new rail stations: Kirkstall Forge, Apperley Bridge, and Low Moor. Plus, we’ve made improvements in Bradford, Leeds, South Elmsall, and Castleford.
We're working hard to make travel in West Yorkshire better for you.
Since it was launched in September 2022, our Mayor’s Fares scheme has helped make travel more affordable and accessible across the whole of West Yorkshire.
Supporting over 83 million bus journeys, the scheme has capped fares at affordably low prices, saving passengers over £76 million in just a few years – making it easier for you to get around, and giving you more money to spend on the things you love.
Encouraging more walking and cycling is key to our mission for a stronger, better-connected region.
That’s why we’ve built or improved over 149 km of cycling and walking routes in West Yorkshire since 2014 - and it's working. Our cycle counters show that these routes have been used over 16.6 million times, with over 3.6 million of those trips on our award-winning Bradford-Leeds Cycle Superhighway. Our region is now rated one of the top places in the UK for walking, wheeling and cycling.
With our devolved powers, we can focus support on those who need it most. Since 2021, when we took charge of adult skills in West Yorkshire, we’ve had 298,000 enrolments in courses that help people gain essential skills for their careers.
We’ve changed thousands of lives. This includes helping 31,700 people earn their first qualification, around 19,800 achieve their Level 2 qualification, and 4,300 reach their Level 3 qualification.
We’ve supported businesses for over a decade. Our productivity has grown at twice the national average rate. Now thousands of organisations choose to operate in West Yorkshire, where opportunity thrives.
Since 2014, we've helped 19,300 unique local businesses through the West Yorkshire Growth Hub. In total, 380,000 start-ups have been created in the region. These results show the benefits of ongoing, coordinated investment in business support across West Yorkshire.
Launched in 2021, the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund gives grants to voluntary groups, charities, and local partners in West Yorkshire. They all aim to prevent crime and boost safety in our neighbourhoods.
We’ve taken the proceeds of crime and invested over £4.4 million in 460 projects.
They tackle the issue at a grassroots level and empower communities to create safer spaces.
In the last ten years, we’ve increased our creative economy by 74% to £2.2 billion. We plan to grow this even more.
With initiatives like the You Can Make It Here programme and nearly £13 million of investment in culture, heritage, and sport, we’ve attracted over £300 million in extra public funds for the region. This has helped support 54,000 local jobs.
In the past two years, we've built over 5,400 new homes. This is the highest number of affordable homes delivered since the financial crash. Currently, planning permissions are in place for around 60,000 homes in the region. This includes more than 38,000 homes on brownfield land.
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