Park and ride plans withdrawn over lack of funds

The park and ride was aimed at commuters travelling into the city from Harrogate and north Leeds suburbs.

Plans for a 500-space park and ride scheme aimed at easing traffic congestion in north Leeds have been officially withdrawn.

Leeds City Council said a lack of funding was among reasons a planning application for the Alwoodley Gates project could not go ahead.

Parking spaces and a bus terminus would have been built on land off Harrogate Road following the plans being lodged formally five years ago.

The council said it hoped to proceed with the project in future and was seeking alternative funding.

A public consultation was held on the project, part of the Leeds Public Transport Improvement Programme for 2017-2022.

"It was paused late in the programme due to funding being prioritised for other schemes and slow public transport recovery post-pandemic," the council said.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, due to the delay a number of environmental surveys required to support the plans had expired meaning the application had to be withdrawn.

The park and ride was aimed at commuters travelling into the city centre from Harrogate and north Leeds suburbs.

It would have given buses priority along the A61 commuter route, helping to speed up public transport journey times and ease traffic jams.

A council spokesperson said: "Leeds City Council still retains an ambition for a park and ride at this location in the future and is seeking alternate sources of funding."

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