The latest section of Leeds’s Dewsbury Road cycle route was officially opened yesterday (Wednesday 27 October 2021).
The 1.5km section of new route between Garnet Road and Beeston Ring Road extends the existing segregated cycle lane on Dewsbury Road and will help connect more people with job, training, education and leisure opportunities.
It is part of a £6.4 million package delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds City Council, including the recently opened Elland Road and Claypit Lane cycle routes.
People were invited to join the celebrations by taking part in a series of free family activities at Cross Flatts Park, ranging from a cycling obstacle course to bike checks and minor repairs.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:
“Making it easier to cycle and walk is a vital part of my commitment to make transport work for people and tackle the climate emergency on our way to becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038.
“That is why I am delighted to see this latest section of new cycle route officially open, demonstrating just one of the many ways we are committed to tackling climate change ahead of the United Nations COP26 summit, which gets underway later this week.”
Cllr Manisha Kaushik, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee Lead Member for Active Travel, said:
“We are pleased to have worked in partnership with Leeds City Council on this scheme, which has plugged an important missing link in the existing network to create a continuous 4.4km segregated route for communities in south Leeds.
“From connecting us to the places we need to go, to reducing air pollution and congestion, and boosting our physical and mental health, we know getting more people cycling and walking has a vital role to play in making West Yorkshire an even better place to live, work and play.”
Cllr Kim Groves, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Lead Member for Public Transport, said:
“A better and more inclusive transport network goes beyond getting people from A to B. It is about making sure everyone can access job, education and training opportunities and getting all of us — our people, our communities, our businesses – to where we want to be as a region.”
Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, Cllr Helen Hayden, said:
“We’re delighted to open this new segregated cycling route at Dewsbury Road, providing a vital link to communities in south Leeds. It builds on the expanding Leeds cycle network, creating safe, segregated routes of which every new stretch of cycleway brings us nearer to the 500 miles of cycle network we are aiming to build across the Leeds district.
“Now more than ever, it’s crucial that we offer options for walking and cycling as an everyday, natural and pleasant choice. It also plays an important role in improving connections for people to local jobs, education, and leisure opportunities.
“As we move towards our ambition of creating a city where you don’t need a car, we’re developing a cycle network to make it easier for healthier, greener travel in Leeds. We want to inspire, and help others inspire, more people to consider walking or cycling for those shorter trips. This new cycle route should make that an easier choice for the surrounding communities. Leaving a car at home and walking or cycling is good for our health, it’s good for our air, cuts congestion and makes our streets and roads safer.”
The schemes have received £6.4 million from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), delivered in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, through the Leeds City Region Growth Deal – a £1billion package of Government investment to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.
They have been delivered through the Combined Authority’s CityConnect programme, which is aimed at enabling more people to travel by bike or on foot.
From route information to free adult cycle training and support for businesses, find out how CityConnect can help you cycle and walk more at cyclecityconnect.co.uk.
This post is based on a press release issued by West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Whilst I would agree safe cycle routes are a good idea generally,creating a situation whereby cyclists and /or pedestrians are envited to cross an established access where drop kerbs have been installed without any indication or warning I believe to be reckless at the very least
This is what has happened on the Dewsbury Road entrance to Clarksfield allotments forcing allotment users to illegally cross/obstruct the new cycle route and footway
It Is also clear there was no consultation with allotment owners and(I presume) the landlord Leeds City Council over the dangerous situation now created when allotment keeper’s need to access or exit the site
In effect it would seem allotment owners are now invited to commit an illegal act to access the site !
Where was the Highways/ Council consultation over this issue?
Did the local councilors and new west yorkshire mayor check the safety aspects of opening of the dewsbury road cycle lane and who signed off on this stretch of the phase without checking all the safety on the route. On the section between dewsbury road social club and harrison spinks there is a 24/7 access to the allotments . The entrance to these allotments are not obviously visible, there are no markings to alert cyclists or pedestrians. It is not possible for Anyone coming out of the allotments to see anyone on the path/cycle lane. So how does a cyclist coming at speed know what to expect, or visually impaired pedestrian know there is an entrance there. Putting cyclists and blind pedestrians on same path is just inviting disaster. £6.4 million well spent I just hope you’ve budgeted for accident claims or a fatality. It’s not a question of how but when.
Hi there the cycle lain is a legal in sections I think the highways needs to have a realy good look at the section near the allotment on dewsbury Road before there is a incident / accident.
It seems that the Highways Department have not completed all the works!
The said footway/cycle track runs from the Tommy Wass Junction right down to the bottom of Dewsbury Road where it passes the entrance to Clarkesfield Allotments.
There is a major H&S issue here, even though the council have dropped the kerb to allow access into the allotments its my understanding that you cannot legally drive on a cycle track. Unlike the rest of the locations that require access across the cycle track the highways department have not laid green tarmac here which I assume is to warn cyclist /drivers to approach with caution as this is a vehicle crossing point. Because of this there have been a number of near misses at the entrance.
Also for plot holders to gain access to the site they have to pull on to the footway/cycle track, leave their vehicle and unlock the gates before getting back in and driving on to the site. We have all types of vehicles such as vans, tractors that need access to the site, these not only block the footway and cycle track but can also block half a lane of a ‘live’ carriageway causing a back log of traffic way back to Middleton Grove.
I understand the allotments committee recently met with the councils allotments officer to raise their safety concerns and she will be contacting the highways department to try and remedy this situation before a serious accident happens. Having spoken to the Chairman of Clarkesfield Allotments apparently no consultation had taken place prior to the commencement of the works he said, if it had this situation could easily have been avoided.
The only options to alleviate this problem and make things safer is either a new entrance off Middleton Grove or a reconfiguration of the current entrance. Lets hope the highways department act with urgency to get this sorted.