Success in bid for transport investment
27 September 2018
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has secured further investment to improve transport with confirmation it will receive a share of the £840m Transforming Cities Fund.
The Department for Transport has announced the Combined Authority's bid to the Fund, on behalf of the Leeds City Region, has passed the first stage and money will now be made available to develop more detailed proposals.
Four key routes
The Combined Authority's submission set out plans to improve public transport along four key routes in the Leeds City Region and upgrade connections to eight rail stations.
The amount of funding the Combined Authority is to receive has yet to be decided.
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leader of Bradford Council, said: "We have a strong track record of delivery through our £1bn West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund and I am pleased the Government has recognised we could do even more with the right support.
"Our bid focused on improving access to jobs, services and education for those communities who need it most and I hope the Government will work with us at pace to agree detailed plans."
Cllr Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council and member of the Combined Authority, said: "To maximise the impact of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail we need significant investment to integrate these major schemes with local transport networks, particularly through the remodelling of Leeds Station.
"Our proposals will build on the progress we are making tackling congestion, speeding up journeys and encouraging public transport use through the £270m Connecting Leeds programme."
Extensive programme
Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of the Combined Authority's Transport Committee, said: "This is a welcome step forward for these proposals, building on the extensive programme of improvements we are already delivering to the region's transport network.
"As we take these plans forward, it is essential we are given the freedoms and flexibility to use the funding to meet local transport priorities."
Cllr Ian Gillies, Leader of City of York Council, said: "This is fantastic news for York. The funding allows us to develop proposals to deliver the full vision for the station interfaces with highway proposals at the front and rear of the station. This vision is set out in the masterplans for York Central and the front of the station, and this announcement brings these ambitious proposals a step closer."
The four key routes that are the focus of the submission were:
- Leeds - Bradford - Halifax (Calder Valley)
- Bradford to Dewsbury through North Kirklees
- Wakefield/Barnsley - Leeds
- Five Towns - Leeds
The eight stations were:
- Leeds Station Gateway
- Bradford Interchange and Bradford Forster Square
- Halifax
- Harrogate
- Huddersfield
- Selby
- York