Leeds Bradford: Airport Road, Rail & Access Issues

[Snackbar]

To be fair, the East Leeds Orbital road, better known now as the (new) Leeds Outer Ring Road, is superb. It's made a huge difference. But we needed something like that in NW Leeds even more . The absence of open land to build such a road on is the problem from West Park through to Horsforth.

My immediate observation on the plans for Dawsons Corner is that it will be better by far, but in busy periods, there will still be a queue heading towards the junction from the Leeds direction, because the lanes split off towards Bradford and Horsforth too close to the junction. They should widen the Ring Road for the last quarter mile so that Bradford traffic and the rest are already separated. Only possible with an extra lane. As it is, there'll still be a tail back of all traffic towards Owlcotes before the Bradford traffic splits from the rest.

Should never have canned then Pudsey - Dishforth project. The whole road system to the East of Bradford and West of Leeds is a complete nightmare even out of rush hour….

 

[White Heather]

Should never have canned then Pudsey - Dishforth project. The whole road system to the East of Bradford and West of Leeds is a complete nightmare even out of rush hour….

Agreed. Bad decision by (I think), Peter Walker MP. Once again, a project that would have been hugely beneficial to both cities and LBA was canned to pacify the NIMBYs.

 

[Aviador]

Should never had canned the airport link road. I hope the airport put pressure on LCC to relook at this in the future.

 

[White Heather]

Should never had canned the airport link road. I hope the airport put pressure on LCC to relook at this in the future.

The daft thing is that the end of the link road from the Parkway Station to the A658 is still going ahead as part of the station and employment hub scheme. It's only the bit from the station down to the A65 that they canned. The bit that impacted about 6 very expensive houses . Draw your own conclusions!

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

The daft thing is that the end of the link road from the Parkway Station to the A658 is still going ahead as part of the station and employment hub scheme. It's only the bit from the station down to the A65 that they canned. The bit that impacted about 6 very expensive houses . Draw your own conclusions!

And benefitted thousands more. Typical short sighted decision from morons in councils. Even more reason for planning panels to be independent.

The orbital road is great. It would have been even better if it continued to the airport and then onto Dawsons Corner. Sadly though, the orbital road won't be good for long as houses are popping up there at ten to a dozen. Before you know it, it will be just another choked Leeds road.

Given the speed which it clears, the junctions to vital roads (A64, motorway, ring road) I suspect it’ll be a little busier but not choked. I mean I don’t even feel I’ve driven on it at the moment as it’s so god damn quiet. Even at rush hour. I believe for once the council have got it correct in spacing due to the traffic signals.

 

[blotbuc1]

Agreed. Bad decision by (I think), Peter Walker MP. Once again, a project that would have been hugely beneficial to both cities and LBA was canned to pacify the NIMBYs.

Yes, the NIMBYs and the clamour at that time for an ‘Airport for Yorkshire’ at Thorne to rival Manchester meant LBA didn’t get the prominence it should have in the decision. Some politicians seem to cling on to that that idea with their obsession with DSA!

 

[White Heather]

Just for interest, whilst driving through Yeadon yesterday, I was surprised to find myself behind the A1 bus from Leeds, which was being operated by a Volvo Wright Eclipse double deck bus . It's the first time in a long time that I've seen a double decker on the LBA services. I presume it was covering vehicle shortages.

 

[The Pole]

My boy would have loved to see a double decker A1

 

[Bigman]

Lbaspotter will confirm the full details but I know that 2 double deckers have been shipped in from Keighley as they are required for school contracts but can work timetabled services as required

 

[Len Fish]

Details are-Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse Gemini 2. Fleet/reg. no. 2422/2423 BD11CEF/BD11CEJ. Transferred to Idle depot January 2025 for newly acquired schools contracts. 2423 is tracking as currently being on the A1 after earlier working a schools service to Menston.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Well i must say leeds city clowncil have made an absolute mess of the ring rd between horsforth and rodley roundabouts, total gridlock this eve with many drivers trying to get to bradford now driving up the A65 to rawdon then down to greengates which is seriously now blocking up the a658, was there an incident earlier as I've never seen traffic as bad? Noticed the A2 flyer bus stuck too!
Until the river and canal bridges are widened and its full length dual carriageway things will just get worse!

 

[White Heather]

Well i must say leeds city clowncil have made an absolute mess of the ring rd between horsforth and rodley roundabouts, total gridlock this eve with many drivers trying to get to bradford now driving up the A65 to rawdon then down to greengates which is seriously now blocking up the a658, was there an incident earlier as I've never seen traffic as bad? Noticed the A2 flyer bus stuck too!
Until the river and canal bridges are widened and its full length dual carriageway things will just get worse!

No worries, as long as it's good for cycling and walking 🙄. That's all that matters.

 

[gcoabc1]

Well i must say leeds city clowncil have made an absolute mess of the ring rd between horsforth and rodley roundabouts, total gridlock this eve with many drivers trying to get to bradford now driving up the A65 to rawdon then down to greengates which is seriously now blocking up the a658, was there an incident earlier as I've never seen traffic as bad? Noticed the A2 flyer bus stuck too!
Until the river and canal bridges are widened and its full length dual carriageway things will just get worse!

It was an absolute nightmare from Guiseley through Rawdon, Horsforth roundabout down to Rodley roundabout … because of an accident near Brontë House school on Harrogate Road. It took us 45 minutes to get from Westfield Fisheries to Apperley Bridge via that route.
The link from Horsforth to Rodley is to provide a dedicated cycleway over its full length. All bar about 200 yards of the ring road there is two lanes until near the bridges at the Rodley end.

 

[JRP]

Well i must say leeds city clowncil have made an absolute mess of the ring rd between horsforth and rodley roundabouts, total gridlock this eve with many drivers trying to get to bradford now driving up the A65 to rawdon then down to greengates which is seriously now blocking up the a658, was there an incident earlier as I've never seen traffic as bad? Noticed the A2 flyer bus stuck too!
Until the river and canal bridges are widened and its full length dual carriageway things will just get worse!

Leeds city council and road schemes everyone must no by now they make traffic worse, whoever is in charge is totally clueless
Has anyone seen the junction near Waitrose in Meanwood ? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

[LBA4EVER]

It was an absolute nightmare from Guiseley through Rawdon, Horsforth roundabout down to Rodley roundabout … because of an accident near Brontë House school on Harrogate Road. It took us 45 minutes to get from Westfield Fisheries to Apperley Bridge via that route.
The link from Horsforth to Rodley is to provide a dedicated cycleway over its full length. All bar about 200 yards of the ring road there is two lanes until near the bridges at the Rodley end.

Ok thanks for the update,

 

[Aviador]

The stretch between Rawdon and Guiseley on the A65 was made worse following the narrowing of the road and introduction of a 20mph zone. The scheme (that caused a serious accident just days after it was implemented) has lead to traffic standing or crawling on the 2 miles leading up to Guiseley from Leeds and for a mile from the Ilkley end.
If the road situation in Leeds isn't enough to make people realise these muppets at Leeds City Clownsil need voting out then I don't know what will.

 

[White Heather]

Leeds city council and road schemes everyone must no by now they make traffic worse, whoever is in charge is totally clueless
Has anyone seen the junction near Waitrose in Meanwood ? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

To be fair, they can do it when they try. The East Leeds Orbital Route, which now forms part of the Leeds Outer Ring Road A6120, is superb and has transformed travel in that area. Sadly, they seem unable to ever do a proper job in North West Leeds or anywhere near the airport.

 

[Aviador]

To be fair, they can do it when they try. The East Leeds Orbital Route, which now forms part of the Leeds Outer Ring Road A6120, is superb and has transformed travel in that area. Sadly, they seem unable to ever do a proper job in North West Leeds or anywhere near the airport.

Only because it facilitates house building.

 

[The Pole]

To be fair, they can do it when they try. The East Leeds Orbital Route, which now forms part of the Leeds Outer Ring Road A6120, is superb and has transformed travel in that area. Sadly, they seem unable to ever do a proper job in North West Leeds or anywhere near the airport.

I'll try be politically correct here all the spending goes on the far side of leeds not this side. The A65 in and out of leeds is a nightmare for car users as is horsforth roundabout. Spent millions on that about 10 years ago messed it up and now spending more money on it.
The same applies to the buses. The ones that use that A65 are old diesel hybrid ones with the occasional vintage 2008 models the new buses go to the wrong end of town. Have done for years when i lived in rawdon up to 2002 we had 1985 MCW buses.
First say the 33/34 route isn't profitable so doesn't warrant new buses.
Well maybe if you put new clean buses on the route folk would use them?

 

[Bigman]

The biggest problem with the ring road from Horsforth to Rodley is that the whole stream of traffic has to stop so that cars can turn right into Calverley Lane or Calverley Bridge. Stop cars turning right and make them go through to Rodley roundabout and then turn left coming back up the hill and the problem will be solved.