Leeds Bradford: Airport Road, Rail & Access Issues

[Len Fish]

We’re not exactly blessed with forward looking, progressive local Councils in West Yorkshire, the same applies to the Combined Authority. They’re all blinkered by the green lobby, ironically at a time when the Government enthusiasm for it seems to be cooling off.

 

[Snackbar]

Well Breadbin has now been given £2bn to spend over the next few years and that would buy a lot of cycle lanes! https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co...hire-awarded-historic-2-financial-settlement/

 

[White Heather]

Well Breadbin has now been given £2bn to spend over the next few years and that would buy a lot of cycle lanes! https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co...hire-awarded-historic-2-financial-settlement/

She can jolly well build as many cycle lanes as she likes provided they lead to our Parkway Station. Just build the damned thing!

You can spend a lifetime in this region waiting for anything that's remotely connected to the airport, or North West Leeds, to get built. The WYCA do nothing. A hopeless Mayor leading a bunch of councillors from various towns and cities, and all of them fighting for their patch rather than what's most needed. We now have the Mayor asking people to design the new buses that she's planning as the Weaver Network! Someone will spend their time sitfting through all the nonsensical replies, and no doubt the final outcome will be Wright, or Alexander buses that are just like we have. Does the Mayor have nothing better to do?

Total waste of space.

 

[dmrodgers]

She can jolly well build as many cycle lanes as she likes provided they lead to our Parkway Station. Just build the damned thing!

You can spend a lifetime in this region waiting for anything that's remotely connected to the airport, or North West Leeds, to get built. The WYCA do nothing. A hopeless Mayor leading a bunch of councillors from various towns and cities, and all of them fighting for their patch rather than what's most needed. We now have the Mayor asking people to design the new buses that she's planning as the Weaver Network! Someone will spend their time sitfting through all the nonsensical replies, and no doubt the final outcome will be Wright, or Alexander buses that are just like we have. Does the Mayor have nothing better to do?

Total waste of space.

And look hat Andy Burnham has achieved in Manchester. Born and bread Leeds myself but sorry to say Manchester as overtaken Leeds as a vibrant city, a place to live and work with a thriving airport, a rapid transport scheme which I see today they ar looking to expand again, a thriving nightscene and second to none conference facilities. What do we have, lots of cycle lanes, a council who don't want an airport and a two railway stations one half built and the other not likely to open until 2150 or not at all. Leeds has to do look forward other the area and West Yorkshire will slowly die.

 

[Snackbar]

And look hat Andy Burnham has achieved in Manchester. Born and bread Leeds myself but sorry to say Manchester as overtaken Leeds as a vibrant city, a place to live and work with a thriving airport, a rapid transport scheme which I see today they ar looking to expand again, a thriving nightscene and second to none conference facilities. What do we have, lots of cycle lanes, a council who don't want an airport and a two railway stations one half built and the other not likely to open until 2150 or not at all. Leeds has to do look forward other the area and West Yorkshire will slowly die.

Yes, whatever you colour of politics you can’t help but admire Andy Burnham for his passion and what he has achieved for Manchester….The guy certainly delivers the results! We get stuck with a two bit failed actress who is clueless and constantly fails to deliver!
Her only ambition seems to be buses and to travel around the world as a corporate tourist at our expense - yet another trip to the States is now in the pipeline for her in 2026!!
Re LBA the sentiment they are putting forward is being reflected generally across the whole industry at the moment following the budget - MAG put out this last week, https://mediacentre.magairports.com/mag-statement-on-the-chancellors-budget---november-2025/ Even LHR have put out similar statements….Expect more pullback on infrastructure spending by airports.
The only one that apparently doesn’t see an issue is…..yep DSA. Apparently Coppard says it won’t be an issue for DSA as the gov are supportive of the project and will help it out 🤣

 

[White Heather]

Yes, whatever you colour of politics you can’t help but admire Andy Burnham for his passion and what he has achieved for Manchester….The guy certainly delivers the results! We get stuck with a two bit failed actress who is clueless and constantly fails to deliver!
Her only ambition seems to be buses and to travel around the world as a corporate tourist at our expense - yet another trip to the States is now in the pipeline for her in 2026!!
Re LBA the sentiment they are putting forward is being reflected generally across the whole industry at the moment following the budget - MAG put out this last week, https://mediacentre.magairports.com/mag-statement-on-the-chancellors-budget---november-2025/ Even LHR have put out similar statements….Expect more pullback on infrastructure spending by airports.
The only one that apparently doesn’t see an issue is…..yep DSA. Apparently Coppard says it won’t be an issue for DSA as the gov are supportive of the project and will help it out 🤣

And if they did help out, we can definitely expect legal challenges. As ever, Coppard is in denial. He's actually worse than our actress in some respects.

 

[Len Fish]

Well she’s going to need £100 million just to purchase new buses for phase 1 of the franchised Weaver bus network which starts in April 2027 with a further two phases to fund after that. £2 billion sounds a lot but that’s over 4 years and with the number of proposed schemes it won’t go far, especially given the track record of publicly funded infrastructure projects eating money and running late. Where the Parkway station lies in all of this is anyone’s guess but my guess is that it will be low down on the priorities list.

 

[Cookridge resident]

Well Breadbin has now been given £2bn to spend over the next few years and that would buy a lot of cycle lanes! https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co...hire-awarded-historic-2-financial-settlement/

It seems I may be the only person who welcomes such a large investment in our region.
The North of England, and Yorkshire in particular, have been ignored and deprived of funding for the last 15+ years so I see this news as nothing but positive. Certainly a change in government policy since Yorkshire MP Rishi Sunak was filmed telling constituents in leafy Kent how he had diverted money from poorer urban areas to more deserving destinations such as, checks notes, Tunbridge Wells. 😂
I’ll save my ire until I see what the money is used for. Fingers crossed for the parkway. 🤞

 

[White Heather]

It seems I may be the only person who welcomes such a large investment in our region.
The North of England, and Yorkshire in particular, have been ignored and deprived of funding for the last 15+ years so I see this news as nothing but positive. Certainly a change in government policy since Yorkshire MP Rishi Sunak was filmed telling constituents in leafy Kent how he had diverted money from poorer urban areas to more deserving destinations such as, checks notes, Tunbridge Wells. 😂
I’ll save my ire until I see what the money is used for. Fingers crossed for the parkway. 🤞

I think we all welcome the funding, but the issue is how it will be spent. No doubt on buses, mass transit in only a fraction of the city and yet more cycle lanes. They might even finish a train station at a shopping centre which will also be a tram terminus eventually. But will they allocate some to building the Parkway Station?

This isn't just sbout LBA though. This part of Leeds has seen virtually no transport or new road investment and its about time that changed. The proposed park and ride would take the pressure off Horsforth Station which is struggling to cope in peak times. Parking there is at a premium and getting in and out of the car park causes major traffic issues, as I'm sure you will know.

I have little faith in our actress Mayor but we shall see what comes of it.

 

[SierraHotel]

I was under the impression that funding has previously been secured for the proposed parkway station?

 

[Cookridge resident]

I think we all welcome the funding, but the issue is how it will be spent. No doubt on buses, mass transit in only a fraction of the city and yet more cycle lanes. They might even finish a train station at a shopping centre which will also be a tram terminus eventually. But will they allocate some to building the Parkway Station?

This isn't just sbout LBA though. This part of Leeds has seen virtually no transport or new road investment and its about time that changed. The proposed park and ride would take the pressure off Horsforth Station which is struggling to cope in peak times. Parking there is at a premium and getting in and out of the car park causes major traffic issues, as I'm sure you will know.

I have little faith in our actress Mayor but we shall see what comes of it.

Funding of the Parkway would dramatically improve my day-to-day life so I am desperate to see it finally happen.
However, as Len says above, there are several other projects which require substantial funding and the station will have to compete with those in terms of providing value for public money.
It won’t be helped by the complete farce that has been the White Rose station. You can see why they’d be reluctant to commit spending public funds on another such possible debacle. I’d be very wary myself.

I guess the area has received substantial transport infrastructure investment when considering the recent ring-road development but how useful that has been is open to debate.
I watched recently in complete disbelief as a bloke cycled up the Horsforth hill stretch forcing drivers to overtake in the other lane, as he completely ignored the safe cycle lane on the other side. 😳
Some people, it seems, cannot be helped.
I have a good feeling about the Parkway, but perhaps my sunny optimism will be misplaced. Fingers crossed.🤞
Also, please bowl a better line England. 😩

 

[Finger66]

Cycle lanes are the biggest white elephant going and there are a few of those around. I guess investing in cycle lanes all forms part of government green/sustainability targets and that's why so many are built. To @Cookridge resident point I can count on one hand the number of cyclists I have seen using a cycle lane during the whole of 2025. Come on TB, wake up and direct money where it is most needed

 

[White Heather]

I was under the impression that funding has previously been secured for the proposed parkway station?

It was ring fenced. Looks like they locked the gate and lost the key, though. Of course what the ring fenced winter be enough as costs have probably doubled while they do consultations, dither, and generally take forever. As per the original schedule it was due to open next year.

 

[SierraHotel]

The inefficiency and procrastination of local govt in this part of the UK is beyond belief. The Chinese should use West Yorkshire as a case study on how to remain in the infrastructure dark ages (a total contrast to how their infrastructure project system works).

 

[Cookridge resident]

The inefficiency and procrastination of local govt in this part of the UK is beyond belief. The Chinese should use West Yorkshire as a case study on how to remain in the infrastructure dark ages (a total contrast to how their infrastructure project system works).

Whilst I take you general point, I’m not sure I’d advocate for the Chinese way of “getting things done” 😂

There are some really good European models though. Not least Spain. I was amazed how progressive their rail infrastructure was when using it a couple of years ago. I think Leeds should build an underground network and and pay off the costs over the next 50 years or so.
Can you imagine the difference a simple system such as Glasgow’s or Seville’s would make to Leeds.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

The inefficiency and procrastination of local govt in this part of the UK is beyond belief. The Chinese should use West Yorkshire as a case study on how to remain in the infrastructure dark ages (a total contrast to how their infrastructure project system works).

It's sadly not just local government and this part of the world. It is the UK full stop. We like spending a hell of a lot of money and time on talking to each other, may I add usually about bull sh*t but we as the British use formal language and pretend we are all barristers so it makes us all sound rather like we rather know what we are doing, to have that bull sh*t summed up on a useless bit of shitty paper and sent out as a report. The next bull sh*t gathering happens and around the circus we go.

If anyone would like to take some time, Labour (as much as I despise them), commissioned a task force report led John Fingleton summed up the issue associated with nuclear in this country but imo nicely sums up the UK as a whole:

"excessive bureaucracy, risk aversion, and complex, slow processes"

I get that is a total side track of subjects but it's very relevant.

Another reason why we suffer is due to our risk aversion and complex slow process usually downgrading forecasts. Look at Cross Rail, or Lizzie Line. That has carried 243 million people for FY25. Completely smashing forecasts out of the water. Multiple other railway projects have smashed forecasts out of the water. Northumberland line met its forecasted annual passengers to be carried , IN ITS FIRST THREE MONTHS. This is what lets down the country, that statement, and unless civil servants who live in London and have no real clue how the real world lives - apart from their own little bubble.

I suspect they have forecasts for Leeds Parkway, - best case, worst case and likely case. I suspect that Leeds Parkway will smash out best case without even batting an eyelid. As @White Heather has pointed out this is so desperately needed to act as a relief to Horsforth if anything.

Bit of a different branch line to go down but I just had to ...

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

https://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2025/12/02/tfl-projects-cheaper-planning-financing/

Further to the above rant here is more evidence - this time associated with cost.

The thing that rings my alarm bells is and I quote this sentence:

"Simply put, prolonged development and consultation periods, bureaucratic environmental assessments and a lack of planning officials increase both the time and cost of major infrastructure projects. The UK also relies on a “higher number of smaller firms” for building, according to the report, further increasing cost"

Lack of planning teams that are unelected therefore not influenced by local elections and national elections. We need to cut the crap and BS meetings about BS meetings and get on with stuff.

 

[lbaspotter]

I’ve just revived an email from LBA asking me to fill out a short survey about my recent airport experience and how I travelled to the airport

To take part in the survey and to be in the chance to win free entry into the Six Eight One Lounge see following link.

Microsoft Forms

forms.office.com

 

[dmrodgers]

I’ve just revived an email from LBA asking me to fill out a short survey about my recent airport experience and how I travelled to the airport

To take part in the survey and to be in the chance to win free entry into the Six Eight One Lounge see following link.

Microsoft Forms

forms.office.com

Had one myself on Friday so I wondered if they we obtaining the email address from the free airport wifi when you log in prior to departure whilst waiting for the flight.

 

[quik123]

Had one myself on Friday so I wondered if they we obtaining the email address from the free airport wifi when you log in prior to departure whilst waiting for the flight.

If so, then [email protected] will get yet more spam! I never use my real email for this sort of thing.