By Don Mort, local democracy reporter
Bus journey times are set to be improved with £360,000 worth of road upgrades at three Leeds traffic jam hotspots.
Signal improvements and a new bus lane are planned after Leeds City Council secured funding.
A council report said the new signalling technology would help avoid delays on High Royds Drive in Guiseley and Selby Road in Halton.
It said: “First Bus have expressed that the services 33 and 34 which use the junction at High Royds in Guiseley suffer from acute delays.
“Therefore, bus timetables have to frequently change to accommodate the reliability issues.”
The number 33 and 34 go through Kirkstall and Burley – and bus users have reported regular issues with delayed or missing services.
Safety at pedestrian crossing would also be improved at the Temple Newsam Road and Chapel Street junctions of Selby Road.
A third scheme will seek to improve journey times on South Accommodation Road in Hunslet.
A consultation will be held on options for that stretch of road, where a 500-metre journey can take up to 20 minutes. The report said: “This intervention is likely to involve a new bus lane.”
Cash would be allocated from the Bus Highway Hotspot Improvement Programme (BHHIP).
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority BHHIP scheme is paid for by the government’s Levelling Up Fund.
The report said the signalling works for Guiseley and Halton were expected to be delivered during 2024/25 and the following year.
A preferred option for South Accommodating Road would be presented in Spring 2025.
The report said: “It aims to improve journey time reliability and reduce bus delays.
“This will make bus travel more attractive by improving connectivity and accessibility to employment, education and training, particularly for those with limited access to cars.”