Transport in Leeds
Encyclopedia
Transport within Leeds consists of extensive road
, bus
and rail networks. The city has good rail and road links to the rest of the country. Leeds railway station is one of the busiest in Britain. Leeds is connected to the national road network via the A1(M) motorway, M1 motorway
and M62 motorway
. The city is served by Leeds Bradford International Airport
.
The rail network is of great importance. Leeds railway station at New Station Street is one of the busiest in the UK outside central London, with around 1000 trains serving more than 100,000 passengers who pass through the main ticket gates daily . Its modern interior provides connections to London
, Southampton
and the south, Birmingham
and the Midlands
, Bristol
and the West Country
and Newcastle
via CrossCountry
. Edinburgh
and the north can be accessed via Cross Country or East Coast
services to Aberdeen
, although changes are often required at York
or Newcastle
. Manchester
, Liverpool
and the west are accessible by First Transpennine Express
, as are Scarborough and Hull
in the east. There is a large commuter rail network co-ordinated by Metro and operated by Northern Rail
to many villages, towns and cities in the city region
.
The station itself has 17 platforms, making it the largest in Britain
outside London
, having been rebuilt from 12 platforms in 2001 at a cost of £265m.
From Leeds railway station MetroTrains operated by Northern Rail
operate to all parts of West Yorkshire
and surrounding local and commuter locations and other operators including East Coast
, Arriva Cross Country, East Midlands Trains
and TransPennine Express operate services to the rest of the country.
Leeds has two railway lines offering direct services to London. The principal route is along the electrified East Coast Main Line
which operates half-hourly through the day, and is planned to increase to every 20 minutes. This service terminates at London Kings Cross, adjacent to St. Pancras station. East Midlands Trains offer an alternative route via Leicester
and Sheffield
along the Midland Main Line
to London St Pancras
, where passengers can continue their journey onto Paris
and Brussels
by Eurostar
. Through tickets can be bought on East Coast or East Midlands Trains from Leeds
to European destinations thanks to this interchange. The East Midlands Trains service operates principally because the train operators a fleet of former Midland Mainline
diesel high speed trains (HST's) which are based at the Neville Hill maintenance depot in Leeds. There are three trains per day in each direction.
is the oldest continuously working railway system in the world. Originally built to transport coal from Middleton Colliery to Leeds, the railway is now a heritage piece. The railway effectively runs the length of Middleton Park, joining on to the national rail network at the northern end. The Middleton Steam Railway contains Leeds' only road level crossings (Moor Road and Tulip Street, Hunslet). There are two stations, Park Halt and Moor Road. The steam locomotives for the Middleton railway were made in Holbeck, near to the location of the present Leeds railway station.
is a narrow gauge railway in Kirkstall, Leeds. It runs between Bridge Street and Kirkstall Abbey.
, A61
, A62
, A63
, A64
and A65
roads. It is also a principal hub of the national motorway network, with the M1
and M62
intersecting in the south east of the city and the A1(M) running along its eastern border. The M1 joins the A1(M) in east Leeds, creating a semi-orbital motorway consisting of the M62, M1 and A1(M) motorways around the south and east of the city. The M621 carries high volumes of traffic quickly in and out of central Leeds from the M62 and M1.
The Inner Ring Road largely carries through traffic across the city, whereas the City Centre Loop distributes local traffic around the city centre. The City Centre Loop that has been formed by using a number of existing streets to create a one way loop around the city centre. This acts as a local access thoroughfare for city centre traffic, allowing the core centre to be heavily pedestrianised and largely traffic-free.
Inner Ring Road
In the 1960s Leeds set about the most ambitious inner ring road
plan of any British city. The road is designated as a motorway, and describes a semicircle round the western, northern and eastern parts of the city centre. The road is elevated at its western and eastern ends but in cutting and tunnel to the north. This enabled a long stretch to be hidden underground, reducing the scar it makes in the city's fabric (as has been a problem in many other cities, for example Birmingham
and Leicester
. Pedestrians may walk over it into the city centre, completely unaware of its presence. This gave Leeds City Council the idea to promote the city with the slogan Motorway City of the Seventies. The inner ring road is made up of the A58(M) and the A64(M). The road begins as the A58(M), at the Armley Gyratory and ends as the A64(M) at Quarry Hill (the number changes as the A58 forks off to the north at Clay Pit Lane).
The A64(M) continues east as graded dual carriageway with a mix of grade separated and traffic light controlled junctions. The Inner Ring Road junctions off and heads southwards towards the East Bank. Here, it meets the East Leeds Link Road, which provides fast connections to the M1
northbound. It continues over the River Aire as a high quality dual carriageway on a flyover, meeting the M621 at Junction 4. The M621 completes the southern flank of the Inner Ring Road, linking up to the A643
which joins back to the Armley Gyratory.
To ease traffic in the city centre and to provide an efficient traffic distributor around the city, in particular where the Inner Ring Road
does not help, the city centre loop was created. This involved no actual engineering or construction work, but the remaking of the city's entire one way system. One of the main advantages of the loop is its simplicity: whereas in other cities unfamiliar drivers may have to preplan a route across the city's one way system or have to attempt map reading while driving, perhaps missing lanes and turnings, in Leeds the main body of city centre traffic is carried around the loop in a clockwise
direction, and drivers can simply follow the signs and use the convenient junction numbers. However the city centre loop is less useful for drivers wishing to travel in an anti-clockwise direction. All loop signage is marked with the city centre loop logo, and each junction has a number and a name. The city centre loop connects the A58
, A61
, A64
, A660
, A65
, A653 and A62
as well as smaller local routes. The route runs by Leeds City railway station
, the Merrion Centre, Quarry House, and Leeds General Infirmary
as well as through the heart of the city's financial district.
and the East Midlands
, the A1(M) heading North towards Newcastle upon Tyne
and Edinburgh
, the M62 heading both West towards Bradford
, Manchester
, Liverpool
and the M62 and east towards Kingston upon Hull
and the Port of Hull
(this is a particularly important freight route).
Away from motorways, a regional dual carriageway network meets in Leeds. The A64 is an important trunk road, heading as an unbroken dual carriageway up to York
and then on to Scarborough. Added to this, the A61 expressway to the north links the northern suburbs of Leeds to the city centre, and onto Harrogate
and Ripon
. The A660
and A65
dual carriageways link the commuter belts to the north west of the city and onto the Lancashire
, meeting the A650. The A6110 expressway forms part of Leeds' Outer Ring Road and continues as dual carriageway southwards, connecting the areas south of the M62
to Leeds, although it is often quicker to use the M621
from Birstall.
The M621
is an internal urban motorway. Much of it is the former M1 (until it was diverted as the South East Leeds Orbital linking the M1 and A1(M)). The Motorway begins at the M62 in Birstall
(near Ikea
) and finishes where it merges with the M1 at Stourton
. Since the M1 diversion the motorway has increased in length, previously it only ran from Birstall as far as the city centre
. The M62
and M1
collectively create a part-orbital motorway around the south and east of the city.
) started running, on a circular route (including stops at the bus and railway stations), in the centre of Leeds.
Leeds' bus station, on Dyer Street, served by National Express
and local bus services. Buses in the city are mainly provided by FirstBus
and Arriva Yorkshire
. Harrogate & District
provides a service to Harrogate
and Ripon
. Keighley & District
provides a service to Shipley
, Bingley
and Keighley
. The Yorkshire Coastliner
service runs from Leeds to Pickering
, Scarborough, Filey
, Thornton-le-Dale
, Whitby
and Bridlington
via Tadcaster
, York
and Malton
. Stagecoach
provides a service to Hull
via Goole
.
The city's 26 stand bus station
has become a controversy in the city. One of the main reasons is its distance from the railway station (about half a mile). Many First Buses do not use the station, only external buses and National Express
coaches use the station. Hence Eastgate, The Headrow, Park Row, Boar Lane, Vicar Lane, Albion Street and Cookridge Street are lined with bus stops. There are four smaller bus points in the city centre, one at the Corn Exchange, one to the rear of the Leeds Shopping Plaza on Boar Lane, one on Infirmary Street and one outside the main entrance to the railway station for services linking the railway station with the rest of the city's public transport.
The railway station has a dedicated public hire taxi
rank that operates 24 hours a day. The rank is serviced by the whole Leeds fleet of 537 taxis, 237 of which are wheelchair accessible. All are fitted with a taxi meter set to Leeds City Council
's fare tariff. All drivers are knowledge tested and have undergone criminal records
investigations. The bus and coach station also has a dedicated rank which is located just outside near the Millgarth police station. All vehicles, drivers, and operators of both taxis and private hire vehicles must be licensed by the Council.
). However, in 2010 Leeds Cyclepoint opened at Leeds railway station providing cycle hire by the day as well as secure parking for up to 300 cycles. The council provide maps showing ideal road routes for cyclists cycling maps and the Leeds Cycling Action Group campaign for improved provision.
Leeds' tram
system was dismantled in the early 1950s (as was the case in most cities) with the final services running in November 1959. In recent years this decision has become regarded as short-sighted. The former tram routes are evident on some of the main roads in and out of the city; for instance the void in the A64 York Road
, now filled with guided bus lanes, and the unusually wide central reservation between the carriageways on the A58 Easterly Road
(towards Wetherby
). The original tram system ran a larger route than the proposed supertram; the original system ran along the A64, A58, A61, A660 and also down through Beeston
and Belle Isle
. By the time the tram network was dismantled it had become unpopular with many people in Leeds due to its ageing, draughty, poorly maintained fleet. Neighbouring Bradford
lost its trolley bus system during the same era (the final journey being made in 1972). Sheffield
also lost its tram system several years earlier, yet has seen the return of the tram in the early 1990s.
. However the government axed the scheme due to an unwillingness to pay for any costs over budget, despite an undertaking by the City Council and local businesses to underwrite any such additional costs and the Department for Transport
's apparent preference of a bus-based rapid transport scheme to a tram-based scheme. An inquiry into corruption at the Department of Transport was called for, although nothing came from the calls. There have been suggestions that a modern Trolleybus
system might be built instead.
from Park and ride
sites at Stourton
(South Route) and Bodington, just beyond the Ring Road
on the A660
(North Route), and from St James's Hospital (East Route). In the city centre there would be a loop route connecting the three incoming routes.
Leeds Bradford International Airport
is located to the north-west of the city and has scheduled flights to destinations within Europe
plus Egypt
, Pakistan
and Turkey
. The airport is the largest in Yorkshire
. Since the arrival of budget airline Jet2 (who chose Leeds Bradford as their base) the airport has experienced a considerable increase in passenger numbers. In September 2007, Jet2 announced the introduction of eight new destinations from the airport. Intercontinental routes to Pakistan, Egypt and the USA are available, and new transatlantic
routes are expected to arrive soon. In 2007 the five metropolitan councils of West Yorkshire
sold the airport to Bridgepoint Capital
for in excess of £140 million. The new owners are currently drawing up an expansion plan. There is no railway station close to the airport, but there are direct bus services (half-hourly in daytime) from Leeds and Bradford city centres. There is a direct rail service from Leeds City station to Manchester Airport, with trains running throughout the night. Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield
is 40 miles from Leeds.
links the city to Liverpool
and the west coast. The Aire and Calder Navigation
links Leeds to the Humber
and the east coast. The city has a dock, situated on both canals at Clarence Dock (adjacent to the Royal Armouries). Leeds has good connections by road, rail and coach to Hull
, only an hour away, from where it is possible to travel to Rotterdam
and Zeebrugge
by ferry services run by P&O Ferries
.
provides Leeds Travel Info, an online service of real-time travel information, including information about roadworks, traffic incidents, and car park availability for motorists as well as access to local public transport information. West Yorkshire Metro
provides bus and train information online and offers the "My Next Bus" service of real-time bus information by text message or online. This real-time information is also displayed in certain bus shelters.
Leeds is one of the cities covered by the urban pedestrian route-planning system Walkit.com
.
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
, bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
and rail networks. The city has good rail and road links to the rest of the country. Leeds railway station is one of the busiest in Britain. Leeds is connected to the national road network via the A1(M) motorway, M1 motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
and M62 motorway
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
. The city is served by Leeds Bradford International Airport
Leeds Bradford International Airport
Leeds Bradford International Airport is located at Yeadon, in the City of Leeds Metropolitan District in West Yorkshire, England, northwest of Leeds city centre itself...
.
Rail
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
and the south, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
, Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
and Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
via CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
. Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and the north can be accessed via Cross Country or East Coast
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
services to Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, although changes are often required at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
or Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and the west are accessible by First Transpennine Express
First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
, as are Scarborough and Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
in the east. There is a large commuter rail network co-ordinated by Metro and operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
to many villages, towns and cities in the city region
Leeds City Region
The Leeds City Region is the area whose economic development is supported by the Leeds City Region Partnership, a sub-regional economic development partnership...
.
The station itself has 17 platforms, making it the largest in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
outside London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, having been rebuilt from 12 platforms in 2001 at a cost of £265m.
From Leeds railway station MetroTrains operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
operate to all parts of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
and surrounding local and commuter locations and other operators including East Coast
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
, Arriva Cross Country, East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
and TransPennine Express operate services to the rest of the country.
Leeds has two railway lines offering direct services to London. The principal route is along the electrified East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
which operates half-hourly through the day, and is planned to increase to every 20 minutes. This service terminates at London Kings Cross, adjacent to St. Pancras station. East Midlands Trains offer an alternative route via Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
and Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
along the Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
to London St Pancras
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
, where passengers can continue their journey onto Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
by Eurostar
Eurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
. Through tickets can be bought on East Coast or East Midlands Trains from Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
to European destinations thanks to this interchange. The East Midlands Trains service operates principally because the train operators a fleet of former Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline was a British train operating company owned by the National Express Group and based in Derby. It was created after the privatisation of British Rail. Midland Mainline services operated from April 1996 to November 2007....
diesel high speed trains (HST's) which are based at the Neville Hill maintenance depot in Leeds. There are three trains per day in each direction.
List of railway stations in Leeds
- Leeds
- Cross GatesCross Gates railway stationCross Gates railway station serves Cross Gates, an area in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the York and Selby Lines, operated by Northern Rail east of Leeds railway station...
- CottingleyCottingley railway stationCottingley railway station serves the Cottingley area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It lies south west of Leeds on the Huddersfield Line. The station was opened in May 1988 with financial assistance from West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and is managed by Northern Rail, who...
- BramleyBramley (West Yorkshire) railway stationBramley railway station serves the suburb of Bramley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Caldervale Line west from Leeds.The present station off Stanningley Road opened on 12 September 1983 by Metro . It replaced a station on the same site, opened on 1 August 1854 and closed on 2 July...
- Burley ParkBurley Park railway stationBurley Park railway station in Leeds, West Yorkshire is the first stop on the Harrogate Line, north west of Leeds railway station towards Harrogate and York. The station was opened on 28 November 1988.The line is heavily used by commuters into Leeds...
- East GarforthEast Garforth railway stationEast Garforth railway station serves Garforth in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the York and Selby Lines, operated by Northern Rail east of Leeds. The station was opened by Metro on 1 May 1987, to serve the new housing developments in the area.The station is an unstaffed halt, and has wooden...
- GarforthGarforth railway stationGarforth railway station serves the town of Garforth, near Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the York and Selby Lines and North TransPennine routes. Garforth is east of Leeds....
- GuiseleyGuiseley railway stationGuiseley railway station is a railway station in Guiseley, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England. On the Wharfedale Line between Ilkley and Leeds/Bradford Forster Square, it is served mostly by Class 333 electric trains run by Northern Rail, which also manages the...
- HeadingleyHeadingley railway stationHeadingley railway station is off Kirkstall Lane in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England on the Harrogate Line north west of Leeds...
- HorsforthHorsforth railway stationHorsforth railway station is a railway station in West Yorkshire, England. It is on the Harrogate Line north west of Leeds station and the final stop in the Metro regulated area towards Harrogate...
- MicklefieldMicklefield railway stationMicklefield railway station serves the village of Micklefield, near Garforth in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the York and Selby Lines, operated by Northern Rail, east of Leeds....
- MorleyMorley railway stationMorley railway station serves the town of Morley, West Yorkshire, England.The station is on Huddersfield Line, is operated by Northern Rail, and is south west of Leeds...
- New PudseyNew Pudsey railway stationNew Pudsey railway station is in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, on the Caldervale Line from Leeds City to Bradford Interchange, Halifax, Huddersfield, Manchester Victoria, and Blackpool North...
- WoodlesfordWoodlesford railway stationWoodlesford railway station serves Woodlesford in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Hallam Line and the Pontefract Line.-Service:Monday to Saturdays there is a half-hourly service to Leeds and an hourly service to Sheffield on the Hallam Line and hourly towards Knottingley on the Pontefract...
List of former railway stations
- Marsh LaneLeeds Marsh Lane railway stationMarsh Lane railway station was a railway station that operated to the east of central Leeds, England, from 22 September 1834 to 1958.It had served as the terminus for the Leeds and Selby Railway services between Leeds and Selby and was the first main line to be built in Yorkshire and one of the...
- Leeds Wellington
- Leeds New
- Leeds WhitehallLeeds Whitehall railway stationLeeds railway station was a temporary station that was built to the west of Leeds railway station in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England during the Leeds 1st modernisation....
- Leeds Central
- Newlay
- Kirkstall
- HunsletLeeds Hunslet Lane railway stationLeeds Hunslet Lane railway station was opened by the North Midland Railway in Leeds in 1840 in what was, at the time a middle class area, south of the city....
- HolbeckHolbeck railway stationHolbeck railway station was a railway station that served the district of Holbeck, in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-Overview:Holbeck Station was unusual in that it had platforms on two different levels, the Holbeck High Level and the Holbeck Low Level .The low level platforms were closed to the...
- Armley MoorArmley Moor railway stationArmley Moor railway station was a station on the former Great Northern Railway between Leeds and Bramley. The location was between Carr Crofts and Wortley Road bridges, accessed via Station Road....
- Armley Canal Road
- Beeston
- Pendas Way
- Scholes
- Thorner
- Bardsey
- Collingham Bridge
- WetherbyWetherby railway stationWetherby railway station can refer to three railway stations in Wetherby, West Yorkshire:*Wetherby railway station - The last operating railway station in the town*Wetherby railway station - The first railway station in the town...
- Thorp Arch
- Kippax
- Otley
- Pool-in-Wharfedale
- Stanningley
- Pudsey Lowtown
- Pudsey Greenside
- Calverley
Middleton Steam Railway
The Middleton Steam RailwayMiddleton Railway
The Middleton Railway is the world's oldest continuously working railway. It was founded in 1758 and is now a heritage railway run by volunteers from The Middleton Railway Trust Ltd...
is the oldest continuously working railway system in the world. Originally built to transport coal from Middleton Colliery to Leeds, the railway is now a heritage piece. The railway effectively runs the length of Middleton Park, joining on to the national rail network at the northern end. The Middleton Steam Railway contains Leeds' only road level crossings (Moor Road and Tulip Street, Hunslet). There are two stations, Park Halt and Moor Road. The steam locomotives for the Middleton railway were made in Holbeck, near to the location of the present Leeds railway station.
Abbey Light Railway
The Abbey Light RailwayAbbey Light Railway
The Abbey Light Railway is a narrow gauge railway in Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.Built by enthusiasts, the Railway runs from the nearby Bridge Street commercial area into the grounds of Kirkstall Abbey. It operates most Sundays.- History :...
is a narrow gauge railway in Kirkstall, Leeds. It runs between Bridge Street and Kirkstall Abbey.
Roads
Leeds is the focus of the regional primary road network which includes A58A58 road
The A58 is a major road in northern England that runs between Prescot, Merseyside and Wetherby, West Yorkshire.It runs north east from Prescot on the outskirts of Liverpool via St Helens, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Hindley, Westhoughton, Bolton, Bury, Heywood, Rochdale and Littleborough then over the...
, A61
A61 road
The A61 is a major trunk road in England. It runs from Derby to Thirsk in North Yorkshire. From Derby, it heads north via Alfreton, Clay Cross, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wakefield, Leeds, Harrogate and Ripon...
, A62
A62 road
The A62 is a major road in Northern England that runs between the two major cities of Manchester and Leeds.The road is approximately 40 miles long. It runs north east from Manchester through Failsworth and Oldham then Saddleworth before crossing the Pennines at Standedge into West Yorkshire...
, A63
A63 road
The A63 is a major road in Yorkshire, England between Leeds and Hull.-Leeds – Howden:The route out to Selby is shadowed by the Leeds-Selby railway....
, A64
A64 road
The A64 is a road in North and West Yorkshire, England which links Leeds, York and Scarborough. The A64 starts as the A64 ring road motorway in Leeds and then is a dual carriageway for the rest of its route, except parts of the road from Malton to Scarborough.The road approximates a section of the...
and A65
A65 road
The A65 is a major road in England. It runs north west from Leeds in Yorkshire via Kirkstall, Horsforth, Yeadon, Guiseley, Ilkley and Skipton, passes west of Settle, then continues through Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale before terminating at Kendal in Cumbria....
roads. It is also a principal hub of the national motorway network, with the M1
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
and M62
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
intersecting in the south east of the city and the A1(M) running along its eastern border. The M1 joins the A1(M) in east Leeds, creating a semi-orbital motorway consisting of the M62, M1 and A1(M) motorways around the south and east of the city. The M621 carries high volumes of traffic quickly in and out of central Leeds from the M62 and M1.
The Inner Ring Road largely carries through traffic across the city, whereas the City Centre Loop distributes local traffic around the city centre. The City Centre Loop that has been formed by using a number of existing streets to create a one way loop around the city centre. This acts as a local access thoroughfare for city centre traffic, allowing the core centre to be heavily pedestrianised and largely traffic-free.
Inner Ring Road
In the 1960s Leeds set about the most ambitious inner ring road
Leeds Inner Ring Road
The Leeds Inner Ring Road is part-motorway and part-A roads in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, which forms a ring road around the city centre. It has six different road numbers that are all sections of longer roads...
plan of any British city. The road is designated as a motorway, and describes a semicircle round the western, northern and eastern parts of the city centre. The road is elevated at its western and eastern ends but in cutting and tunnel to the north. This enabled a long stretch to be hidden underground, reducing the scar it makes in the city's fabric (as has been a problem in many other cities, for example Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. Pedestrians may walk over it into the city centre, completely unaware of its presence. This gave Leeds City Council the idea to promote the city with the slogan Motorway City of the Seventies. The inner ring road is made up of the A58(M) and the A64(M). The road begins as the A58(M), at the Armley Gyratory and ends as the A64(M) at Quarry Hill (the number changes as the A58 forks off to the north at Clay Pit Lane).
The A64(M) continues east as graded dual carriageway with a mix of grade separated and traffic light controlled junctions. The Inner Ring Road junctions off and heads southwards towards the East Bank. Here, it meets the East Leeds Link Road, which provides fast connections to the M1
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
northbound. It continues over the River Aire as a high quality dual carriageway on a flyover, meeting the M621 at Junction 4. The M621 completes the southern flank of the Inner Ring Road, linking up to the A643
A643 road
The A643 is a main road in West Yorkshire, England.It starts at the Armley Gyratory and ends at junction 23 of the M62 Motorway and is approximately long....
which joins back to the Armley Gyratory.
City centre loop
Leeds Inner Ring Road
The Leeds Inner Ring Road is part-motorway and part-A roads in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, which forms a ring road around the city centre. It has six different road numbers that are all sections of longer roads...
does not help, the city centre loop was created. This involved no actual engineering or construction work, but the remaking of the city's entire one way system. One of the main advantages of the loop is its simplicity: whereas in other cities unfamiliar drivers may have to preplan a route across the city's one way system or have to attempt map reading while driving, perhaps missing lanes and turnings, in Leeds the main body of city centre traffic is carried around the loop in a clockwise
Clockwise
Circular motion can occur in two possible directions. A clockwise motion is one that proceeds in the same direction as a clock's hands: from the top to the right, then down and then to the left, and back to the top...
direction, and drivers can simply follow the signs and use the convenient junction numbers. However the city centre loop is less useful for drivers wishing to travel in an anti-clockwise direction. All loop signage is marked with the city centre loop logo, and each junction has a number and a name. The city centre loop connects the A58
A58 road
The A58 is a major road in northern England that runs between Prescot, Merseyside and Wetherby, West Yorkshire.It runs north east from Prescot on the outskirts of Liverpool via St Helens, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Hindley, Westhoughton, Bolton, Bury, Heywood, Rochdale and Littleborough then over the...
, A61
A61 road
The A61 is a major trunk road in England. It runs from Derby to Thirsk in North Yorkshire. From Derby, it heads north via Alfreton, Clay Cross, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wakefield, Leeds, Harrogate and Ripon...
, A64
A64 road
The A64 is a road in North and West Yorkshire, England which links Leeds, York and Scarborough. The A64 starts as the A64 ring road motorway in Leeds and then is a dual carriageway for the rest of its route, except parts of the road from Malton to Scarborough.The road approximates a section of the...
, A660
A660 road
The A660 is a major road in West Yorkshire, England that runs from Leeds to Burley-in-Wharfedale where it meets the A65. The A660 is approximately long, and crosses the watershed from Airedale to lower Wharfedale...
, A65
A65 road
The A65 is a major road in England. It runs north west from Leeds in Yorkshire via Kirkstall, Horsforth, Yeadon, Guiseley, Ilkley and Skipton, passes west of Settle, then continues through Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale before terminating at Kendal in Cumbria....
, A653 and A62
A62 road
The A62 is a major road in Northern England that runs between the two major cities of Manchester and Leeds.The road is approximately 40 miles long. It runs north east from Manchester through Failsworth and Oldham then Saddleworth before crossing the Pennines at Standedge into West Yorkshire...
as well as smaller local routes. The route runs by Leeds City railway station
Leeds City railway station
Leeds railway station is the mainline railway station serving the city centre of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England...
, the Merrion Centre, Quarry House, and Leeds General Infirmary
Leeds General Infirmary
Leeds General Infirmary, also known as the LGI or, more correctly, The General Infirmary at Leeds, is a large teaching hospital based in the centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England and is part of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust....
as well as through the heart of the city's financial district.
Motorways and A roads
Leeds is served by the M1 and A1 heading South towards LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
, the A1(M) heading North towards Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, the M62 heading both West towards Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and the M62 and east towards Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
and the Port of Hull
Port of Hull
The Port of Hull is a trading port located at the confluence of the River Hull and the Humber Estuary in the city of Kingston upon Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Seaborne trade can be traced to at least the 13th century...
(this is a particularly important freight route).
Away from motorways, a regional dual carriageway network meets in Leeds. The A64 is an important trunk road, heading as an unbroken dual carriageway up to York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and then on to Scarborough. Added to this, the A61 expressway to the north links the northern suburbs of Leeds to the city centre, and onto Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
and Ripon
Ripon
Ripon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
. The A660
A660 road
The A660 is a major road in West Yorkshire, England that runs from Leeds to Burley-in-Wharfedale where it meets the A65. The A660 is approximately long, and crosses the watershed from Airedale to lower Wharfedale...
and A65
A65 road
The A65 is a major road in England. It runs north west from Leeds in Yorkshire via Kirkstall, Horsforth, Yeadon, Guiseley, Ilkley and Skipton, passes west of Settle, then continues through Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale before terminating at Kendal in Cumbria....
dual carriageways link the commuter belts to the north west of the city and onto the Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, meeting the A650. The A6110 expressway forms part of Leeds' Outer Ring Road and continues as dual carriageway southwards, connecting the areas south of the M62
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
to Leeds, although it is often quicker to use the M621
M621 motorway
The M621 motorway is a short loop of motorway in England that takes traffic into central Leeds between the M1 and M62 motorways. It is the second longest motorway in the United Kingdom to carry a three digit number although it carries more junctions than any other three digit motorway within the...
from Birstall.
The M621
M621 motorway
The M621 motorway is a short loop of motorway in England that takes traffic into central Leeds between the M1 and M62 motorways. It is the second longest motorway in the United Kingdom to carry a three digit number although it carries more junctions than any other three digit motorway within the...
is an internal urban motorway. Much of it is the former M1 (until it was diverted as the South East Leeds Orbital linking the M1 and A1(M)). The Motorway begins at the M62 in Birstall
Birstall, West Yorkshire
Birstall is a large village in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England and situated roughly 6 miles south-west of Leeds. It features a quaint triangular Victorian marketplace, which replaced an earlier market on High Street in the Georgian area of the village further up the hill...
(near Ikea
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
) and finishes where it merges with the M1 at Stourton
Stourton, West Yorkshire
Stourton is a mainly industrial area of the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.The area is 2 miles to the south east of Leeds city centre and lies between Hunslet, the M1 motorway and Cross Green in the LS10 postcode area....
. Since the M1 diversion the motorway has increased in length, previously it only ran from Birstall as far as the city centre
Leeds City Centre
Leeds city centre is the central business district of Leeds, England. It is within the Leeds Central parliamentary constituency, represented by Hilary Benn as MP since a by-election in 1999...
. The M62
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
and M1
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
collectively create a part-orbital motorway around the south and east of the city.
Bus/coach/taxi
On 30 January 2006, a zero-fare bus service (the FreeCityBusFreeCityBus
FreeCityBus or FreeTownBus is a family of zero-fare bus services which are operated in the centres of several cities and towns in the English county of West Yorkshire. The services operate as FreeCityBus in the cities of Bradford, and Wakefield and as FreeTownBus in the towns of Huddersfield and...
) started running, on a circular route (including stops at the bus and railway stations), in the centre of Leeds.
Leeds' bus station, on Dyer Street, served by National Express
National Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
and local bus services. Buses in the city are mainly provided by FirstBus
FirstGroup plc
FirstGroup plc is a public transport company, registered in Scotland at its headquarters in Aberdeen, operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Canada and the United States...
and Arriva Yorkshire
Arriva Yorkshire
Arriva Yorkshire is a division of Arriva which operates bus services around West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and the southern areas of North Yorkshire in England.-History:Arriva Yorkshire was formed as a combination of mergers of previous...
. Harrogate & District
Harrogate & District
Transdev Harrogate & District is a local bus operator based in Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is part of the Blazefield Group which is itself owned by the international transport company Transdev....
provides a service to Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
and Ripon
Ripon
Ripon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
. Keighley & District
Keighley & District
Keighley & District is a bus company based in Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. It is part of the Blazefield Group which is itself owned by the international transport company Transdev....
provides a service to Shipley
Shipley, West Yorkshire
Shipley is a town in West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, north of Bradford and north-west of Leeds....
, Bingley
Bingley
Bingley is a market town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal...
and Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
. The Yorkshire Coastliner
Yorkshire Coastliner
Yorkshire Coastliner is a bus operator based in Malton in North Yorkshire, England. It is owned by the Blazefield Group who also own, amongst others, Harrogate & District and Keighley & District in Yorkshire....
service runs from Leeds to Pickering
Pickering, North Yorkshire
Pickering is an ancient market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of the county of North Yorkshire, England, on the border of the North York Moors National Park. It sits at the foot of the Moors, overlooking the Vale of Pickering to the south...
, Scarborough, Filey
Filey
Filey is a small town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the borough of Scarborough and is located between Scarborough and Bridlington on the North Sea coast. Although it started out as a fishing village, it has a large beach and is a popular tourist resort...
, Thornton-le-Dale
Thornton-le-Dale
Thornton-le-Dale is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England, about two miles east of Pickering. A thatched cottage in the village has appeared on countless calendars and chocolate boxes over the years...
, Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
and Bridlington
Bridlington
Bridlington is a seaside resort, minor sea fishing port and civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It has a static population of over 33,000, which rises considerably during the tourist season...
via Tadcaster
Tadcaster
Tadcaster is a market town and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Lying on the Great North Road approximately east of Leeds and west of York. It is the last town on the River Wharfe before it joins the River Ouse about downstream...
, York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and Malton
Malton, North Yorkshire
Malton is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. The town is the location of the offices of Ryedale District Council and has a population of around 4,000 people....
. Stagecoach
Stagecoach in Hull
Stagecoach in Hull is the sector of the Stagecoach Group that operates buses in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is the second largest bus fleet in the city.-History:...
provides a service to Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
via Goole
Goole
Goole is a town, civil parish and port located approximately inland on the confluence of the rivers Don and Ouse in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England...
.
The city's 26 stand bus station
Leeds City bus station
Leeds City bus station serves the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The bus station is owned and managed by Metro. It is situated between the Quarry Hill and Leeds City Markets areas of Leeds city centre...
has become a controversy in the city. One of the main reasons is its distance from the railway station (about half a mile). Many First Buses do not use the station, only external buses and National Express
National Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
coaches use the station. Hence Eastgate, The Headrow, Park Row, Boar Lane, Vicar Lane, Albion Street and Cookridge Street are lined with bus stops. There are four smaller bus points in the city centre, one at the Corn Exchange, one to the rear of the Leeds Shopping Plaza on Boar Lane, one on Infirmary Street and one outside the main entrance to the railway station for services linking the railway station with the rest of the city's public transport.
The railway station has a dedicated public hire taxi
Taxicabs of the United Kingdom
Taxicabs are regulated throughout the United Kingdom, but the regulation of taxicabs in London is especially rigorous both with regard to mechanical integrity and driver knowledge. An official report observed that: "Little however is known about the regulation by anyone outside the trade...
rank that operates 24 hours a day. The rank is serviced by the whole Leeds fleet of 537 taxis, 237 of which are wheelchair accessible. All are fitted with a taxi meter set to Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council is the local authority for the City of Leeds metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England.-History:The city council was established in 1974, with the first elections being held in advance in 1973...
's fare tariff. All drivers are knowledge tested and have undergone criminal records
Criminal Records Bureau
The Criminal Records Bureau , is an Executive Agency of the Home Office, which provides wider access to criminal record information through its Disclosure service for England and Wales...
investigations. The bus and coach station also has a dedicated rank which is located just outside near the Millgarth police station. All vehicles, drivers, and operators of both taxis and private hire vehicles must be licensed by the Council.
Cycling
There is no integrated cycle network, nor is there a system of public bike hire points (i.e. TFL cycle hireBarclays Cycle Hire
Barclays Cycle Hire is a public scheme bicycle sharing scheme that was launched on 30 July 2010 in London, United Kingdom. The scheme's bicycles are informally referred to as Boris bikes, after Boris Johnson, who was the Mayor of London at the time of the official launch.BCH commenced operations...
). However, in 2010 Leeds Cyclepoint opened at Leeds railway station providing cycle hire by the day as well as secure parking for up to 300 cycles. The council provide maps showing ideal road routes for cyclists cycling maps and the Leeds Cycling Action Group campaign for improved provision.
Former system
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
system was dismantled in the early 1950s (as was the case in most cities) with the final services running in November 1959. In recent years this decision has become regarded as short-sighted. The former tram routes are evident on some of the main roads in and out of the city; for instance the void in the A64 York Road
A64 road
The A64 is a road in North and West Yorkshire, England which links Leeds, York and Scarborough. The A64 starts as the A64 ring road motorway in Leeds and then is a dual carriageway for the rest of its route, except parts of the road from Malton to Scarborough.The road approximates a section of the...
, now filled with guided bus lanes, and the unusually wide central reservation between the carriageways on the A58 Easterly Road
A58 road
The A58 is a major road in northern England that runs between Prescot, Merseyside and Wetherby, West Yorkshire.It runs north east from Prescot on the outskirts of Liverpool via St Helens, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Hindley, Westhoughton, Bolton, Bury, Heywood, Rochdale and Littleborough then over the...
(towards Wetherby
Wetherby
Wetherby is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the Great North Road, being mid-way between London and Edinburgh...
). The original tram system ran a larger route than the proposed supertram; the original system ran along the A64, A58, A61, A660 and also down through Beeston
Beeston, Leeds
Beeston is a suburb Leeds, West Yorkshire, England located about 2 miles south of the city centre. The area is separated from surrounding areas to the north, east and west by the M621 motorway....
and Belle Isle
Belle Isle
- Places :In Canada* Belle Isle , an island and strait In England, UK* Belle Isle, an area of Leeds, West Yorkshire* Belle Isle , an island in Lake District, Cumbria...
. By the time the tram network was dismantled it had become unpopular with many people in Leeds due to its ageing, draughty, poorly maintained fleet. Neighbouring Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
lost its trolley bus system during the same era (the final journey being made in 1972). Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
also lost its tram system several years earlier, yet has seen the return of the tram in the early 1990s.
Rejected plans
The city had plans in the 1990s and 2000s for a tram network known as SupertramLeeds Supertram
The Leeds Supertram was a proposed light rail/tram system in Leeds and West Yorkshire in England.-Initial proposals:Proposals for the reinstatement of trams or a light rail system in Leeds which were withdrawn in 1959 have been ongoing since the 1970s with various plans for varying light rail...
. However the government axed the scheme due to an unwillingness to pay for any costs over budget, despite an undertaking by the City Council and local businesses to underwrite any such additional costs and the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
's apparent preference of a bus-based rapid transport scheme to a tram-based scheme. An inquiry into corruption at the Department of Transport was called for, although nothing came from the calls. There have been suggestions that a modern Trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
system might be built instead.
Trolley bus
there are proposals to build a trolley bus system, also referred to as "New Generation Transport". The three proposed lines would run into Leeds city centreLeeds City Centre
Leeds city centre is the central business district of Leeds, England. It is within the Leeds Central parliamentary constituency, represented by Hilary Benn as MP since a by-election in 1999...
from Park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
sites at Stourton
Stourton, West Yorkshire
Stourton is a mainly industrial area of the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.The area is 2 miles to the south east of Leeds city centre and lies between Hunslet, the M1 motorway and Cross Green in the LS10 postcode area....
(South Route) and Bodington, just beyond the Ring Road
Leeds Outer Ring Road
The Leeds Outer Ring Road is a main road that runs around most of the perimeter of the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The ring road is approximately long and consists of single and dual carriageways....
on the A660
A660 road
The A660 is a major road in West Yorkshire, England that runs from Leeds to Burley-in-Wharfedale where it meets the A65. The A660 is approximately long, and crosses the watershed from Airedale to lower Wharfedale...
(North Route), and from St James's Hospital (East Route). In the city centre there would be a loop route connecting the three incoming routes.
Air
Leeds Bradford International Airport
Leeds Bradford International Airport is located at Yeadon, in the City of Leeds Metropolitan District in West Yorkshire, England, northwest of Leeds city centre itself...
is located to the north-west of the city and has scheduled flights to destinations within Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
plus Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The airport is the largest in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. Since the arrival of budget airline Jet2 (who chose Leeds Bradford as their base) the airport has experienced a considerable increase in passenger numbers. In September 2007, Jet2 announced the introduction of eight new destinations from the airport. Intercontinental routes to Pakistan, Egypt and the USA are available, and new transatlantic
Transatlantic flight
Transatlantic flight is the flight of an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean. A transatlantic flight may proceed east-to-west, originating in Europe or Africa and terminating in North America or South America, or it may go in the reverse direction, west-to-east...
routes are expected to arrive soon. In 2007 the five metropolitan councils of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
sold the airport to Bridgepoint Capital
Bridgepoint Capital
Bridgepoint is a UK-based private equity investor in companies valued up to €1 billion, including Pets at Home and Pret A Manger in the UK, Dorna in Spain, and Alain Afflelou in France.-History:...
for in excess of £140 million. The new owners are currently drawing up an expansion plan. There is no railway station close to the airport, but there are direct bus services (half-hourly in daytime) from Leeds and Bradford city centres. There is a direct rail service from Leeds City station to Manchester Airport, with trains running throughout the night. Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield
Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield
Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield is an international airport located at the former RAF Finningley airbase at Finningley, in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster within South Yorkshire, England. The airport lies southeast of Doncaster and east of Sheffield.The airport is operated by Peel...
is 40 miles from Leeds.
Sea and waterways
The Leeds and Liverpool CanalLeeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
links the city to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and the west coast. The Aire and Calder Navigation
Aire and Calder Navigation
The Aire and Calder Navigation is a river and canal system of the River Aire and the River Calder in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England. The first improvements to the rivers above Knottingley were completed in 1704 when the Aire was made navigable to Leeds and the Calder to...
links Leeds to the Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
and the east coast. The city has a dock, situated on both canals at Clarence Dock (adjacent to the Royal Armouries). Leeds has good connections by road, rail and coach to Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, only an hour away, from where it is possible to travel to Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
and Zeebrugge
Zeebrugge
Zeebrugge is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. Zeebrugge serves as both the international port of Bruges-Zeebrugge and a seafront resort with hotels, cafés, a marina and a beach.-Location:...
by ferry services run by P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
.
Transport information services for Leeds
Leeds City CouncilLeeds City Council
Leeds City Council is the local authority for the City of Leeds metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England.-History:The city council was established in 1974, with the first elections being held in advance in 1973...
provides Leeds Travel Info, an online service of real-time travel information, including information about roadworks, traffic incidents, and car park availability for motorists as well as access to local public transport information. West Yorkshire Metro
West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
The West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive for the county of West Yorkshire, England. It is the executive arm of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority and was originally formed on 1 April 1974 as the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport...
provides bus and train information online and offers the "My Next Bus" service of real-time bus information by text message or online. This real-time information is also displayed in certain bus shelters.
Leeds is one of the cities covered by the urban pedestrian route-planning system Walkit.com
Walkit.com
Walkit.com is an urban walking route planner.- History :The site launched with coverage of central London in 2006. The cities of Edinburgh and Birmingham were then added within the first year...
.