Cycle superhighway sees 800 users a day - data

The Bradford Leeds Cycle Superhighway cost £39m, but has been criticised for not attracting enough users

A dedicated cycle route that links Leeds with Bradford is clocking up more than 800 users on average every day, data shows.

The Bradford Leeds Cycle Superhighway has been developed over the last decade at a cost of £39m, but has been criticised for not attracting enough users.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) said cycle-counting sensors on all bike routes in the region had recorded a total of 13 million journeys over the 10-year period.

WYCA added the new data showed the region had made significant progress on cycling since the Tour De France came to Yorkshire a decade ago.

Ben Hall uses the route every day to cycle from his home in north Leeds to work in Bradford

The famous Grand Départ set off from Leeds in July 2014 and passed through West Yorkshire before heading to the Dales.

Since then, more than 60 miles of new cycling and walking routes have been built or improved by WYCA.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said: "We want to encourage as many people as possible to choose greener ways to travel, to help reduce traffic and emissions as we look to become a net-zero carbon region by 2038.

"Continuing to invest in our cycle lane network is vital for creating a greener, better-connected region that works for everyone."

Much of the City Connect route between Leeds and Bradford used to be regular road before dedicated cycle lanes were added, with kerb stones to prevent cars straying into the bike lane.

Ben Hall, from Moortown, uses the route every day to cycle to work in Bradford.

"Everything is clearly marked so people are guided to do what they should be doing," he said.

"I don't have to stick out my elbows to be extra assertive.

"I can just use the bit of the road that has been designed for bikes."

Bradford councillor Riaz Ahmed thinks the scheme is a waste of money

However, the 14-mile (22km) superhighway has faced some criticism for not attracting more users after £39m of investment.

Bradford councillor Riaz Ahmed said he had monitored the route for half an hour close to his home and did not see a single cyclist.

"We spent a high amount of public money - tax payers' money - which I think is a waste," he said.

"In places like Oxford and Cambridge, people will cycle, but when you've got hills it's not conducive to cycling."

WYCA said that, since the Tour De France, it had also provided more than 650 bikes to people in need and funded more than 120 organisations to help people cycle and walk.

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