Connecting Leeds Bradford Airport

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Project archived

Please note that this engagement is closed. Much of the information on this page is now outdated but has been left available for public viewing as a record of the engagement process. For updates and outcomes please click on the link below:

______________________________

Background

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA), located on the Bradford and Leeds boundary, is the primary airport for Yorkshire with nearly 70% of current passengers originating from the Leeds city region.

LBA is one of the UK’s fastest growing airports, supporting over 5,000 jobs and contributing £336m to the city region economy each year. In 2018 the airport handled over 4 million passengers, an increase of nearly 13% in just 12 months. The Department for Transport (DfT) has forecast that this may increase to 7.1 million by 2030 and to approximately 9 million passengers a year by 2050.

Tourism is an important sector for the region, estimated to be worth £7 billion to the Yorkshire economy and had an economic impact of £1.75 billion annually for Leeds in 2017. There is potential to expand the airport’s route network to open up new international connections, supporting international trade, tourism, and doubling the number of supported jobs to over 10,000 by 2030.

The growth in passengers, and in employment around the airport, means an increase in travel to the airport. Leeds City Council is seeking your views regarding road and train developments in order to address traffic and congestion, which will worsen as the number of trips to the airport doubles unless we act soon.


What are the issues we want to address?


For further information on the existing issues please click here.

Forecast population, employment and LBA passenger growth are likely to result in traffic growth and worsening congestion. Without any improvements the current issues will worsen.

  • Congestion will increase on local roads including Bayton Lane, Scotland Lane, Whitehouse Lane, Otley Old Road.
  • Journey times and delays will increase on already congested key routes including the A65 and A658.

The current and forecast constraints on the transport network is likely to have a negative impact on the ability of LBA to grow and for employment growth in the wider area. This would impact not only on the local area but the City Region as a whole.


The Proposals
Leeds City Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and partners Bradford Council and Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) are now in a position to consult on further detailed options for improved access to the airport.

These are:

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) Parkway Station
A new Parkway rail station located on the existing Harrogate line, with a regular shuttle bus link to Leeds Bradford Airport's terminal building. The station would also have a park and ride facility for journeys in to Leeds or North Yorkshire, and improve accessibility to existing and proposed businesses in North West Leeds.

Click here for more information on the LBA Parkway Station.

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) Link Route Proposals
Views are being sought on three road proposals:

Option A: Building a new road and footway/cycleway from the A65, running along the eastern edge of the airport before joining the A658 to the north.

Option B: Building a new road and footway/cycleway following the same initial route as Option A, from the A65 but running to the south west of the airport, joining the A658 before the tunnel under the runway.

Option C: Upgrading the existing A65 and A658 around Rawdon and Yeadon to the airport. This would see junctions upgraded and, where needed, some localised road widening to deliver the junction improvements.

Click here for more information on the LBA Link Route (road)


LBA Proposed Employment Allocation
In addition, there are proposals for an employment site to the north of LBA. This is provided for information only and does not form part of this consultation.


Wider Strategy
The LBA Link Route and Parkway Station are included within the Leeds Transport Strategy. Further information on Leeds Transport Policy can be found here. In addition, there are projects underway as part of the West Yorkshire Transport Fund at A660 / A658 Dyneley Arms, A6120 Fink Hill, and A6120 Dawsons Corner, all of which aim to reduce congestion. Further information on current schemes and consultations see the Connecting Leeds webpage.


Have your say

This phase of consultation is now closed. More information will be posted here when available.

You can also sign up to be kept informed about the development of this project or register to be added to the Your Voice community where you will receive information on opportunities to have your say on a variety of projects.

Please note that this engagement is closed. Much of the information on this page is now outdated but has been left available for public viewing as a record of the engagement process. For updates and outcomes please click on the link below:

______________________________

Background

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA), located on the Bradford and Leeds boundary, is the primary airport for Yorkshire with nearly 70% of current passengers originating from the Leeds city region.

LBA is one of the UK’s fastest growing airports, supporting over 5,000 jobs and contributing £336m to the city region economy each year. In 2018 the airport handled over 4 million passengers, an increase of nearly 13% in just 12 months. The Department for Transport (DfT) has forecast that this may increase to 7.1 million by 2030 and to approximately 9 million passengers a year by 2050.

Tourism is an important sector for the region, estimated to be worth £7 billion to the Yorkshire economy and had an economic impact of £1.75 billion annually for Leeds in 2017. There is potential to expand the airport’s route network to open up new international connections, supporting international trade, tourism, and doubling the number of supported jobs to over 10,000 by 2030.

The growth in passengers, and in employment around the airport, means an increase in travel to the airport. Leeds City Council is seeking your views regarding road and train developments in order to address traffic and congestion, which will worsen as the number of trips to the airport doubles unless we act soon.


What are the issues we want to address?


For further information on the existing issues please click here.

Forecast population, employment and LBA passenger growth are likely to result in traffic growth and worsening congestion. Without any improvements the current issues will worsen.

  • Congestion will increase on local roads including Bayton Lane, Scotland Lane, Whitehouse Lane, Otley Old Road.
  • Journey times and delays will increase on already congested key routes including the A65 and A658.

The current and forecast constraints on the transport network is likely to have a negative impact on the ability of LBA to grow and for employment growth in the wider area. This would impact not only on the local area but the City Region as a whole.


The Proposals
Leeds City Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and partners Bradford Council and Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) are now in a position to consult on further detailed options for improved access to the airport.

These are:

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) Parkway Station
A new Parkway rail station located on the existing Harrogate line, with a regular shuttle bus link to Leeds Bradford Airport's terminal building. The station would also have a park and ride facility for journeys in to Leeds or North Yorkshire, and improve accessibility to existing and proposed businesses in North West Leeds.

Click here for more information on the LBA Parkway Station.

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) Link Route Proposals
Views are being sought on three road proposals:

Option A: Building a new road and footway/cycleway from the A65, running along the eastern edge of the airport before joining the A658 to the north.

Option B: Building a new road and footway/cycleway following the same initial route as Option A, from the A65 but running to the south west of the airport, joining the A658 before the tunnel under the runway.

Option C: Upgrading the existing A65 and A658 around Rawdon and Yeadon to the airport. This would see junctions upgraded and, where needed, some localised road widening to deliver the junction improvements.

Click here for more information on the LBA Link Route (road)


LBA Proposed Employment Allocation
In addition, there are proposals for an employment site to the north of LBA. This is provided for information only and does not form part of this consultation.


Wider Strategy
The LBA Link Route and Parkway Station are included within the Leeds Transport Strategy. Further information on Leeds Transport Policy can be found here. In addition, there are projects underway as part of the West Yorkshire Transport Fund at A660 / A658 Dyneley Arms, A6120 Fink Hill, and A6120 Dawsons Corner, all of which aim to reduce congestion. Further information on current schemes and consultations see the Connecting Leeds webpage.


Have your say

This phase of consultation is now closed. More information will be posted here when available.

You can also sign up to be kept informed about the development of this project or register to be added to the Your Voice community where you will receive information on opportunities to have your say on a variety of projects.

Project archived

Do you have any questions for us...? Ask them here...

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    The rail proposal appears half-hearted and unambitious. I realise the incline is problematic for trains, but why not consider combining electrification of the Harrogate line with a short tunnel terminating underneath the terminal building which would provide a truly integrated passenger experience akin to other major airports? It would be an investment which would stand the test of time as opposed to the cumbersome, sticky-tape proposal requiring shuttle buses.

    Alex Toft asked about 5 years ago

    Thank you for your comments, these will be considered as part of the consultation analysis. At this stage, it is unlikely that a direct rail link will be affordable and offer value for money. WYCA commissioned some outline options appraisal work in 2016. The report indicated that a heavy rail link cannot be achieved without extensive tunnelling and cuttings which would incur significant costs. There is potential for a light rail or tram-train link option to link the Airport terminal to the existing Harrogate line. However, the cost for a tram-train / light rail link would be significant and would necessitate bespoke vehicles for a tram–train system. Although the costs for delivering the proposed Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway Station are still being refined it is anticipated that a Parkway Station will be able to deliver significant benefits at a significantly lower total cost. 

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    The best solution is clearly a direct rail link to the airport terminal which a city the stature of Leeds requires for the future. You refer to a WSP report 2016 stating a direct rail link is not feasible because of gradients and tunnelling required. THIS IS A WRONG CONCLUSION and is even confirmed in their report! • The WSP report 2016 has stated that Horsforth Route Option 3 can be built at an average gradient of 1 in 60, so suitable for heavy rail solution. • A direct connection to Leeds centre via the existing Harrogate line would result in connection times (no stopping) of about 15 mins • It would cost £25M x 3.1 Km = £77.5M plus a station at £15M – say £90M in total • This assumes that tunnelling can be avoided. • The track gradient superimposed on the ground profile shows a gradient of 1 in 62 average. • Note that the maximum cut is about 5m and maximum fill 10m. This could be adjusted to optimise cut and fill earthworks to avoid disposal off site. • Hence tunnelling is not required I suggest you ask your Engineers to revisit the conclusions of your options assessments, as clearly a rail link is not only cheaper than the road improvement options, but delivers substantial sustainability benefits to both LBA and the wider community, and reduces vehicle traffic.

    Peter Haines asked about 5 years ago

    Thank you for your comments and questions. The project team are looking through your comments and will provide a response. 

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    If the Airport commits to a new arrivals hall and it seemed tonight that site preparation has commenced then why can't the parkway station be fast tracked to match the opening of it. There's a railway line there already. Its massively unsatisfactory that the "cheap option" of the Parkway can't just be fast tracked - after all this is the most inaccessible airport in the country and anything that can ease road congestion has to be a screaming priority. Furthermore it would at the very least provide the opportunity for a modern, attractive, gateway to the city as at present first impressions for visitors are dire. Leeds deserves better and there have been enough consultations, feasibility studies and enquiries by now. Haste is what is needed, why the delay??

    hugh asked about 5 years ago
    Thank you for your comments. The LBA Parkway station is at an early stage of development, building on earlier feasibility studies to develop outline designs for the station. The project is looking to maximise the opportunity for delivery of the station, however the delivery programme is subject to the availability of funding, assurance processes of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the viability of the business case, the relevant statutory processes, and the rail industry approvals, all of which must be satisfied before delivery can commence.
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    Have you considered a monorail or cable car as a pedestrian link from the new station to the airport? Cities all over the world are turning to urban gondolas to ease congestion and reduce pollution.

    Cj2 asked about 5 years ago
    Thank you for your comments, these will be considered as part of the consultation feedback. The Combined Authority will work closely with the airport and explore other opportunities and technology to provide connectivity between the airport and parkway station.
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    Comment made at Harrogate Line Rail Users meeting, 11 Apr: Why build a 'short, connecting spur road' when existing local roads can be upgraded to afford good access to the Airport?

    'Nigel Hughes' asked about 5 years ago
    Options for providing highway access to LBA Parkway are still being considered, options which include a new connecting spur road and upgrades to Scotland Lane. Your comments will be considered as part of the consultation feedback.
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    We must have the rail station at the airport. Why is that not an option? It fits in with trying to make Leeds Carbon Free City, does it not? It would be easier for travellers with cases to get off a train outside the airport. They do not want to have to lug their cases on to a bus after the train. Sorry, but it has to be a railway station at the airport. See what the Yorkshire Party are saying and consult with them, please.

    Paul Hazelgrave asked about 5 years ago
    Thank you for your comments, these will be considered as part of the consultation feedback. At this stage, it is unlikely that a direct rail link will be affordable and offer value for money. Building a station at the Airport Terminal building requires an additional heavy rail link from the existing railway line to the Airport. The Combined Authority commissioned some outline options appraisal work in 2016. The report indicated that a heavy rail link cannot be achieved without extensive tunnelling and cuttings which would incur significant costs. There is potential for a light rail or tram-train link option to link the Airport terminal to the existing Harrogate line. However, the cost for a tram-train / light rail link would be significant and would necessitate bespoke vehicles for a tram–train system. Although the costs for delivering the proposed Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway Station are still being refined it is anticipated that a Parkway Station will be able to deliver significant benefits at a significantly lower total cost.
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    I object to all three options. Tax payers money should not be used to fund infrastructure investment which is solely focussed on delivering commercial benefit for the privately owned airport. This money should be spent on improving existing roads around Horsforth as stated by many other local people. If this goes ahead this is yet another example of our elected representatives completely ignoring the wishes of local residents in favour of commercial interest. If the airport want new roads then they can fund them. We, the residents, want you to sort out the appalling state of our existing roads with obvious examples being the ring road between Horsforth and Rodley being a good starting point! I expect this to be ignored as is usual with this kind of consultations but thought it worth saying anyway...

    Nick Smith asked about 5 years ago
    Thank you for your comments. These will be considered as part of the consultation analysis.
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    I completed the survey and would add the volume of traffic along the airport road does not enter the airport, it passes by either east to the A1 or west to the M62. Leeds City Council's failed in the past to provide an adequate infrastructure for public transport at the tax payers expense. The city desperately needs an efficient transport system for the city to expand like Manchester or similar. I am of the view a park & ride with a train stop closer to the airport would alleviate parking in the immediate area for both airport and train users, and if predicted figures of increased airport traffic in future years are seen to be over exaggerated the park & ride and train station will still be utilised.

    Local Resident asked about 5 years ago

    Thank you for your comments. These will be considered as part of the consultation analysis.

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    I disagree with the need for a new link road as the congestion problems are caused by insufficient capacity on ring road & surrounding routes. But both Option A & B junctions at the A65 do not take account of the traffic on Knott Lane turning right into Leeds. Knott Lane is the exit route from Rawdon crematorium. Currently Knott Lane becomes impossible to travel up/down when a funeral procession is leaving the crematorium. Many need to turn right to travel towards Leeds which is very difficult at present due to traffic flows, but the new scheme will mean it becomes very difficult to try & access the A65 with two lanes of standing traffic when the new traffic lights are on red. The proposed junction onto the A65 is too close to Knott Lane / Layton Lane junction, will cause more congestion leading to frustrated drivers which will more than likely cause an increase in accidents / casualty's at this junction. Surveys should be undertaken taking account of funerals to gauge a proper understanding of this problem.

    Phil Seager asked about 5 years ago
    Thank you for your comments. These will be considered as part of the consultation analysis.
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    Why are Leeds CC not investing funds into the ring road & other major route in & around Leeds to inprove commuting instead of building a link road to the airport that won't deal with the congestion issue on the A65 ? If the ring road was a dual carriageway & strategic junction such as A65/A6120 made grade separated junctions to allow more free-flowing traffic, a lot of the traffic congestion would be solved without building un-necessary roads across green-field sites.

    Phil Seager asked about 5 years ago

    Thank you for your comments. These will be considered as part of the consultation analysis. The LBA Link Route proposals are being progressed in the wider context of strategic transport improvements across NW Leeds. Leeds City Council are progressing work to investigate the strategic case, implications and opportunities arising from dualling the A6120 Leeds Outer Ring Road between Horsforth and Rodley and capacity enhancements at Horsforth Roundabout.