Calls to better co-ordinate West Leeds roadworks

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A647 Bradford Road. Photo: Google

A senior councillor has called on Leeds City Council to better co-ordinate the number of roadworks on West Leeds roads.

Councillor Andrew Carter (Cons, Calverley & Farsley) pointed to recent ‘gridlock’ at Thornbury Barracks as an example of problems with too many roadworks on the area’s roads and an apparent lack of communication between Leeds and Bradford councils.

Speaking at the Outer West Community Committee at Pudsey Civic Hall yesterday, Cllr Carter said: “The problem seems to be bad enough in Leeds but seems to be no co-ordination between the two cities regarding the A647.

“Thornbury Barracks was gridlocked recently due to roadworks on both sides. It seems to be beyond the wit of man to co-ordinate this activity.”

Cllr Carter also pointed out the length of time for some roadworks to be completed. He added: “There’s been a Yorkshire Water bollard on Rodley Lane now for about six weeks without any movement.

“It really gets people wound up when they see money being spent on roads only for them to be dug up and for the works to be scheduled against others in the area and take what seems an eternity to finish.”

Leeds city council highways manager Ian Moore agreed that the current system needed improvement. He said the Street Manager system Leeds used allowed utility companies to submit applications for permits to carry work but ‘there was always the element of risk’ that work would overrun and then clash with other works.

“It’s as good as the companies who submit them,” he admitted. “There can always be a situation where they are not being completely honest.”

Mr Moore said the Department For Transport “looks to be heading in the direction of one system for all. I can only hope that this will address some of the issues you raise.”

A647 speed cameras

Cllr Carter also said that Leeds City Council has now drawn up plans for permanent speed cameras on the A647 between Dawsons Corner and Thornbury Roundabout.

Local residents have been complaining of issues on that stretch of road for more than five years and yesterday’s meeting heard of issues with drivers racing on the road until 2am.

As reported last month, Leeds City Council’s Highways Department has presented a report to the West Yorkshire Camera Safety Partnership, which seeks amendments to the current criteria for speed camera enforcement.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Ludicrous trying to get into Leeds last week. I ended up going through Pudsey Town centre hitting 2 sets of traffic lights on Galloway Lane, as it was gridlocked going down to the Owlcotes roundabout. The traffic lights at the gyratory only let 3 cars through from Armley Road, then there was a Lane closure just before Chapeltown Road. I was late for a CT Scan at Chapel Allerton hospital. I decided to come back via the ring road and the traffic lights at Moortown Corner only let 3 cars through. There is no coordination or obviously communication whatsoever. The council is supposed to be there to make the community better, not to cause frustration. All these bus lanes, cycle paths have just caused gridlock as they strive to get us all on public transport. They need to realise on some occasions public transport doesn’t work, especially when trying to get to hospital appointments. Getting to St James’s has been a nightmare since they closed the road and diverted traffic from West Leeds through Harehills! Ridiculous.

  2. There’s a total lack of co-ordination of road works just in Leeds, never mind between Leeds and Bradford. I’ve lost count of the number of times there are roadworks near Dawsons corner at the exact same time as those in Calverley, an alternative route through to Bradford.

    It will be interesting to see how the permanent speed cameras on the stretch between Dawsons Corner and Thornbury roundabout work. I suspect that the effect will be minimal and just like that on the Ring Road between Rodley roundabout and Dawsons Corner, ie powerful cars and bikes screaming up to the cameras, slowing down for a few seconds, then screaming off just the other side of them. A complete waste of time.

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