SIR;- I am pleased that the money wasting ‘mass transit’ system is causing enormous controversy (WLD September print edition).
I have lived in Armley for the past 51 years and suffered the inconvenience of the construction of the rarely used cycle track between Bramley and Leeds city centre.
Of the conversations I have had with locals they are of the same opinion that it is another ‘non-runner’ and a waste of tax payers’ money. Only recently BBC Look North reported how the older parts of Leeds General Infimary are in desperate need of repairs.
I did write to West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin to protest against the ‘mass transit’ scheme. I am startled that the first line of the reply, which mentions ‘initial development’. What exactly does this mean?
‘Public consultation’, I gather, covers the thousands of four-colour brochures and leaflets printed at enormous cost and open days where people could visit and discuss mass transit with well-briefed young people, unable to answer questions with regards to actual costs of the construction of the tram system. Another waste of taxpayers’ money!
Many years ago there was a feasibility study carried out to introduce a similar trolleybus service in Headingley but was cancelled due to the cost.
I find Ms Brabin very reckless with tax payers’ money. She has now implemented a survey involving Leeds transport carried out by a company in Livingston – can anyone in Yorkshire do this?
As you can tell, I am embittered by the future as seen by others. I am all for making life better for as many as possible.
If Tracy Brabin needs to make a good name for herself serving the people of West Yorkshire, and if you gave money to spend, the NHS is the one body that is needed by millions, not just a few thousand on the tram route. It will be interesting to see if she uses mass transit?
Finally, we had the debacle of HS2. Let’s not have a repeat in Yorkshire.
To minimise pollution bring in more electric buses. Sorry for going on, but I feel so strongly about this subject.
- Mr N Waterhouse, Armley Grange Walk, Armley
SIR;- I have been reading with interest your ongoing coverage of the mass transit system in West Yorkshire, with a line proposed to link Leeds and Bradford, via West Leeds.
We have, of course, seen similar schemes before – the ill-fated ‘super tram’ in the 1990s which never got off the ground, and the Next Generation Transport Trolleybus proposal through Headingley which also sank without trace.
Experience should teach us not to get our hopes up with this latest £2bn scheme. And yet, we face congested and polluted roads in our city. Leeds is the only city of its size in western Europe not to have some sort of mass transit system.
We know that mass transit systems have successfully helped to regenerate areas right across the country by boosting connectivity, opportunity and prosperity – perhaps this time it’ll be a case of third time lucky for Leeds? I still have hope…
- Kate Del Arco, Leeds
Armley roads this morning was total gridlock
Town Street
stanningley Road
Theaker Lane
This bus way has caused rat running everywhere in Armley and the councillors just sit there and do nothing
Maybe west Leeds dispatch could do a story on the traffic
Opinions I find myself in total agreement with, as a 90 year old, feel we’ve been there before there’s nothing new under the sun!
Jon is right.
The traffic in West Leeds (and Leeds in general) is getting unbearable at both ends of the day, and must be near to breaking point.
West Leeds Dispatch need to do a bigger feature on this in general, and how the Mass Transit System could (possibly?) alleviate some of those problems.
All of the crossings across the valley seem to be completely overloaded. The constant lane closures on the ring road, neverending works on Armley gyratory, and reduction of Stanningley bypass to a single lane for the bus are surely not helping this in any way.
The problem needs to be thought about as a whole, which presumably would require more consultation.
I am also disenchanted with the plans being consulted on for the rapid transit system. Instead of spending money on a “rapid transit” on this particular route why not improve the current public transport system – the bus and rail services that are used by the majority of the population. The cycle lanes are hardly used but already millions of pounds have been spent on these locally. Why not connect up the towns on this side of Leeds with a bus service; a Calverley – Farsley – Horsforth service would be good? I am sure that other areas this side of Leeds would benefit from better local public transport connections. Also, it would seem to make sense to have public transport services that link bus and rail. For example, Apperley Bridge railway station is principally a park and ride service for people travelling by car to Leeds and Bradford from outside the area. Why can’t there be a bus service connecting the neighbouring villages/towns to both Pudsey and Apperley Bridge railway stations? Finally, why not have a rapid transit system (or similar) that connects Leeds and Bradford to the airport?