FAQs - West Yorkshire Combined Authority

What is the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme?

Providing an accessible, attractive and cleaner alternative to car journeys is at the heart of our Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) - a major new programme of transport infrastructure investment secured as part of the West Yorkshire devolution deal.

The £457 million programme, which is being delivered by the Combined Authority in partnership with local authorities, is being paid for with money from the Department for Transport (DfT) and local match funding.

In partnership with local authorities, the Combined Authority will deliver transformational infrastructure, which will dramatically improve people’s access to walking, cycling and public transport.

It is estimated schemes will improve journeys by bus, rail, bike and on foot for up to 1.5 million people, take up to 12 million car trips per year off our roads and reduce CO2 emissions from car travel by up to 15,000 tonnes by 2036.

Communities across Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York are set to benefit from the schemes, which include new or improved bus and rail stations, cycling and walking infrastructure, and new Park and Rides.

What will be delivered through the TCF programme?

The programme will deliver:

two new Park & Rides;
one new rail station;
four new foot and cycle bridges;
five new or improved bus stations and interchange hubs;
new high quality cycle routes along six corridors;
bus priority along six key bus routes to create more reliable and faster bus journey times;
800 new cycle parking spaces;
seven improvements to Rail Station Gateways;
new Real Time Information and improved passenger experience across the network.

Which organisations are involved?

The Combined Authority is working in partnership with local authority colleagues from Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Selby, Wakefield and York councils on the programme.

What benefits will the programme bring?

It is estimated the programme will:

improve journeys by bus, rail, bike and on foot for up to 1.5 million people;
take up to 12 million car trips per year off our roads by 2036;
make 33 million rail journeys easier by improvements to rail stations;
increase bus, rail, and walking and cycling trips by up to 6%, 4% and 7% respectively by 2036;
reduce CO2 emissions by up to 1.5% / 15,000 tonnes from car travel by 2036;
create more than 1,000 jobs and add up to £1 billion to the economy by 2036;
support connectivity to 650 housing sites and 220 employment sites.

How is the programme funded?

A range of options are being developed as part of each business case to ensure we deliver the best schemes, while also considering the ongoing impact of inflation, including the rising cost of building materials.

Why is this work important?

Building on the significant progress already made, the Combined Authority is working in partnership to transform our town and city centres for walking and cycling, improve bus reliability and journey times, and make it easier to travel by train.

The programme will connect people to jobs, training and education through accessible, affordable and cleaner transport, boosting productivity and helping create healthier and happier communities for the future.

It will also help us tackle the climate emergency on our way to becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038.

We need to reduce car trips by 21% and increase cycling trips by 2,000%, walking trips by 78%, bus strips by 39% and rail trips by 53% if we are to achieve our ambitious net zero targets in this time frame.

Who will benefit?

The programme is focused on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities. This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality.

When do projects get underway?

There are 22 packages of schemes, comprising between 30 and 35 individual projects, within the overall programme.

Schemes are at different stages, right through from the development of business cases and designs, to gearing up for public consultation, with construction having started on the new Halifax Bus Station and White Rose Rail Station in Leeds.

Find out more information.

When will the programme of works be completed?

The programme is being delivered over the next three years, up to the end of 2025.

How is the programme impacted by COVID-19?

The impact of COVID-19 on the region and its economy means it is more important than ever to assess the changes to the landscapes of our towns and cities and the impact on current and future planned schemes, particularly, but not exclusively, those relating to transport.

Although it is generally expected that people’s behaviour will return to the pre-pandemic position in the medium and long-term, the impact on travel into and around towns and cities will be assessed as part of every scheme’s appraisal and any assumptions made to address issues identified prior to the pandemic will be re-tested.

How does TCF complement other transport infrastructure schemes being delivered across the region?

It will build on the significant investment already made through the Combined Authority’s other programmes, such as the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, Connecting Leeds and CityConnect.

Many of the schemes provide enhancements or extensions to the projects being delivered through these programmes, helping to spread the benefits across a wider geography.

Find out more information about the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund.

Find out more information about Connecting Leeds.

Find out more information about CityConnect.

Where can I find out more information?

Find out more information about the Transforming Cities Fund programme.

How can I have my say on schemes in my area?

Details of the TCF consultations can be found at www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk. You can get in touch with the Combined Authority’s Consultation and Engagement team via YourVoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk, 0113 245 7676 or Freepost CONSULTATION TEAM (WYCA). Please note that, due to COVID-19, the majority of the Combined Authority’s staff are working from home and there will therefore be significant delays in receiving any postal contributions. If you can, please contact the team using another method to ensure a quick response.

How was the bid developed?

The bid was led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in partnership with the 10 local authorities across the Leeds City Region. It was developed in two stages, with a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) submitted to the DfT in June 2019. The final bid was submitted to the DfT in November 2019. The bid documents can be found at westyorks-ca.gov.uk/TCF

Who was the bid developed with?

The bid was developed in partnership with local authorities across the Leeds City Region, including Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Selby, Wakefield and York. The bid was also co-developed with the DfT, which provided feedback on the plans as they emerged. In line with other Mayoral Combined Authorities, we are required to feedback on the progress of the programme’s delivery.

How were decisions made around which schemes to include in the bid?

As part of the bidding process, the Combined Authority was asked to develop a series of schemes, which could be delivered under three different cost scenarios. Each scheme needed to meet the Combined Authority’s priorities, as well as objectives set out by the DfT, such as reducing carbon emissions, and increasing capacity for commuters with better access to employment centres, especially from disadvantaged communities.

Schemes put forward by local authorities were scored against the objectives before being reviewed as a programme. Once agreement had been reached between local authority and Combined Authority officers, the programme was signed off by each of the leaders, as well as members of the Combined Authority’s Transport Committee.