Update on Connecting Leeds COVID-19 transport response – June 2020
Thank you for contributing to our Commonplace map, which now has over 25,000 comments and suggestions. This is a clear demonstration of the high levels of interest in measures to support walking and cycling and social distancing, across Leeds.
Your comments are helping to inform the council’s ambitious plans and we’re grateful for your local insights and your time. In response to your feedback, the council has now laid out its ambitious plans to promote active travel. This includes an additional 100km of segregated cycle lanes, temporary widened footways and active travel neighbourhoods.
Seventy one percent of respondents supported reducing traffic speed or volume measures to keep those using active travel safe. Fifty percent of those surveyed who own a private vehicle, said they expect to use it less in the coming months. This reflects the findings of national surveys including one conducted by the AA.
From today, after analysing the first round of your feedback, we would like to know your views on our proposed schemes. You can also continue to make and add suggestions, as we’re taking account of ideas to develop the Connecting Leeds transport strategy.
The School Streets schemes is being tested out at six Leeds primary schools, restricting traffic movement outside the schools during drop off and pick up times. This will make walking, scooting and cycling to school safer and healthier for children. Your feedback provides an opportunity to help identify other schools for future waves of the scheme, subject to funding.
The installation of temporary cycle lanes will play a vital role in helping people travel safely in the recovery phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. This will also include an additional 500 cycle parking places across the district.
The first section of temporary cycle lanes will be on site in late June, along the A65 Kirkstall Road to the city centre to install "wand orcas" (semi-permanent bollards bolted to the road) to physically separate the space for cyclists and traffic. This scheme has been fast-tracked and will be the first of the arterial routes into the city, where such measures will be installed.
We know many of you will have experienced personally, there has been a noticeable increase in walking and cycling during lockdown. We are determined to take steps to ensure that as lockdown eases, those people walking and cycling can do so safely, whilst also maintaining social distancing. As people start to return to work and doing the school run again there will be an increase in journeys. However, we know there will be limited public transport capacity. It is therefore vital to protect pedestrians and cyclists during this time, enabling them to socially distance while travelling.
The alternative is a surge in car use which would lead to an increase in air and noise pollution, greater congestion and more dangerous residential roads. Additionally, for the majority in Leeds, jumping in their cars isn’t an option - with around a third of households in the city not having access to a car.
The council is therefore creating more space for people in our city and district streets and busy areas.
The council’s aspiration is to make cycling and walking for shorter journeys a natural everyday travel choice. This starts by giving people the space they need over motorised vehicles to keep safe on our streets, whether on their bike, wheelchair, pushchair or on their own two feet. Only when people feel safe, will they enjoy the convenience of active travel, which will support their own health and wellbeing.
We will be continue to seek feedback on our plans when they are implemented and suggestions for where additional ones may be needed can be made via this website.
From the first round of government emergency funds, the council has applied for our share of £2.5 million pounds via the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. We will also be applying for additional funding from government as and when it is announced.
Thank you again for your continued interest and ideas in developing a Connecting Leeds transport network that protects public health and safety during this pandemic.