Link road plans for Leeds Bradford Airport will cost £75m

Proposals for better access to Leeds Bradford Airport include a new link road

A new link road connecting Leeds with the city's airport would cost around £75m, the city council claims.

The council has drawn up three options for improving access to Leeds Bradford Airport.

Building a new link road from the A65 between Rawdon and Horsforth, would cost £50m, whilst the cheapest option would be upgrading the existing route, costing about £15m.

A public consultation will begin on 23 November and end on 24 January.

The questionnaire will be available online and drop-in sessions will be held in Leeds, Horsforth and Rawdon, with a view to construction starting in 2019.

'Considerable difference'

Councillor Richard Lewis said a new link road would help tackle congestion, delays and the use of rat-runs on the current road network.

"We have a need for better road and rail links and a link road is clearly one we can do most easily and see the benefits," he said.

"Anyone who uses the A65 knows how congested it is. These proposals can make a considerable difference."

The options include a new link from the A65 or upgrading the existing route

The first option includes building a more direct route from the A65, which runs along the east of the airport and joins the A658 Harrogate Road from the north.

The second runs to the east of Rawdon and only provides direct access to the airport where it joins Harrogate Road from the south.

The final scheme would see the existing A65 and A658 around Rawdon and Yeadon upgraded with new junctions and wider roads.

Work is expected to finish by 2022 and full details of the plans can be found on the council website.