Leeds City Square: Work to ban through-traffic begins

Traffic restrictions will be in place from Monday

Works to transform part of Leeds city centre into a more "people-first environment" are due to start on Monday.

All through-traffic will be diverted away from City Square ahead of its permanent closure to traffic in February 2023.

Motorists are being urged to plan their route in advance and allow extra time for their journeys.

The council said people should also consider alternative ways to travel.

'Healthier and more sustainable'

The works, alongside other schemes, are part of a package aimed at reducing the amount of traffic in the city centre, and encouraging people to walk or cycle more.

Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: "Removing through-traffic from City Square has been a long-held ambition.

"Schemes such as these help us deliver our Connecting Leeds transport strategy, which has set out a vision for Leeds to be a city where you don't need a car".

She said the aim was for the city to "favour healthier and more sustainable" methods of travel.

"The ongoing works at the station provide the opportunity to carry out these works at the same time and redress the current imbalance where thousands of pedestrians are using this area each day, yet its layout favours vehicles - at a time of growing footfall at the railway station," she said.

A number of "significant diversions" would be in place, the authority said, adding the route would no longer be "attractive to motorists".

In August, Leeds was selected to be part of a trial where doctors can prescribe walking and cycling to boost mental and physical health.

Walking and cycling minister Trudy Harrison said the measures would "ease the burden on our NHS" as well as "improving air quality and reducing congestion".