New proposals for Armley Town Street in Leeds are set to be considered over the next few months, starting with public consultation.
The £2.91m proposals aim to reduce bus delays whilst improving the street environment for visitors and shoppers with wider pavements, planting and landscaping and more crossing points to encourage active travel journeys.
The scheme is part of Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s successful bid of £7.9million from Active Travel England’s Active Travel Fund Tranche 4. Alongside Tranches 1-3, this has created a combined total of £22million being secured for areas in Leeds.
The plans include:
- Four new pedestrian crossing points, two located on Armley Town Street, one on Carr Crofts and one on Wesley Road, to improve safety
- Wider pavements to facilitate pedestrians and shoppers, better bus waiting areas and greenery
- New cycling and walking links from surrounding streets to Armley Town Street
- Making Armley Town Street from Theaker Lane to Wesley Road a bus-only section that can also be used by black and white taxis, emergency vehicles and cyclists
- New trees and landscaping, including rain gardens that help to remove surface water run-off
- Better bus waiting areas, with upgraded bus stops
- New pick-up/drop-off short stay parking on Theaker Lane, Stocks Hill and Crab Lane suitable for private hire taxis
- Two road closures on Wesley Road and Theaker Lane to prevent motor vehicles taking shortcuts through residential streets (rat-running)
- A reduction of speed from 30 to 20mph along Armley Town Street, to improve safety
- Seven disabled parking spaces retained but relocated and additional loading bays
There will be a reduction of on-street parking spaces on Armley Town Street to facilitate the plans, however nearby short-stay parking is available at Armley Leisure Centre and Home Bargains (previously Wilko) car park with a 2-3 minute walk to Town Street from these locations.
The additional pedestrian crossings and wider pavements aim to make it easier and safer for people to walk and wheel around, whilst the relocation and upgrading of bus shelters will provide a better waiting environment for bus passengers.
The bus-only section of Armley Town Street aims to reduce delays by moving motor vehicle traffic from Armley Town Street to the main roads of A647 Stanningley Road and Tong Road, providing a much larger area of Town Street for shoppers, local markets and events.
People are now being asked to share their views on the proposals.
The proposals are part of Active Travel England’s Active Travel Fund programme which expects to create up to 16 million more trips by walking and cycling every year across the UK and help towards Leeds City Council’s ambitions of increasing cycling by 400%, walking by 33% and bus uptake by 130% through its Leeds Transport Strategy. The plans also seek to make the road safer for all users in line with the council’s Vision Zero 2040 strategy – an ambition that no one will be killed or suffer serious injuries on roads in Leeds. To achieve this, new infrastructure projects must provide safer road designs for vulnerable road users, that is forgiving of human error and eliminates risk of serious injury.
In addition to the Armley Town Street proposals, Leeds City Council have been working in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, to secure extra funding from a £6.2million City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. This work will build on the significant investment already being made in making it easier for people to walk, cycle and use public transport. A part of this has been allocated to deliver a Healthier Streets programme aimed at improving cycling and walking links to Armley Town Street and is included in the consultation.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, said: “Armley Town Street is a great local high street, and a central hub for local residents in the area. We want to expand upon this by transforming its look and feel whilst improving journeys for people on a bus, on foot or on a bike by making them quicker, safer and more accessible.
By reducing congestion and general traffic on the street, we can create a better space to enjoy, shop and spend time in. If you have a connection to Armley Town Street we want to hear from you, so please feedback on the plans so we can take your views on board as we develop them.”
Cllr Peter Carlill, Deputy Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, said: “Schemes like these are key to making it easier and safer for people to walk, wheel, cycle and use public transport in West Yorkshire. I’d encourage people to have their say on these proposals to help build a greener, better-connected region that works for everyone.”
PIC-LEEDS CITY COUNCIL
