The recent announcement about an ice rink near Leeds United Football Ground started me wondering where the proposed Park and Ride scheme for the area would be and what impact these developments would have on the area.
A permanent ice rink for the city is long overdue. It is a long time since the rink on Kirkstall Road closed down, which I remember going to in my younger days. The proposed new rink, if it goes ahead, will be built on land on Elland Road opposite the new police station and next to the railway line. It looks an impressive place if the architect’s sketches are anything to go by.
Plans for the development can be found at Ice Rink Plans
Presumably the Park and Ride scheme for Elland Road will be situated next to the ice rink, although, since last year, I have not heard anything more about it. A council report dated 28 November 2012 states:
Work is also ongoing in Leeds to bring forward a number of bus-based park-and-ride schemes. This includes a 500 – 1000 space site at Elland Road and a 600-1,000 space site in the Aire Valley off the A63 East Leeds Link Road. It is hoped to have at least one site operational within the next three years.
It would appear, therefore, that the Elland Road scheme is still on the cards.
If both these south Leeds developments are given the go ahead, traffic around the stadium and surrounding areas will, in my opinion, increase considerably. Parking for Leeds United supporters on match days is likely to become more difficult since the existing car parks will be reduced in size and it is likely that street parking in the surrounding areas will increase – particularly if Leeds United ever return to the Premier League.
I believe that the council should be keeping everyone informed of the situation and must listen and act on the concerns of local people before embarking on schemes that are potentially detrimental to their well being.
An ice rink would be fun – reminds me of when I used to take my children to Doncaster and after about ten minutes of the first visit they all were much more proficient than I was…
I used to live in and then north of York which, to combat gridlock which makes Leeds traffic problems look minimal, introduced over some years a comprehensive park and ride system with three sites which generally worked pretty well. It would be great if Leeds had something similar but getting the sites right is key and it seems to me that Elland Road is too close to the city centre but then York doesn’t have motorways going through its centre…
I’m just glad I don’t live in Beeston anymore! I used to live not far from Elland Road stadium and the traffic was/is horrendous!
We used to get idiots parking outside our house with no regard for neighbours at all.
Imagine what it’s going to be like down there on match days!! Jesus, I’m glad I’m well away from the area. That said though, the traffic still has an adverse knock-on effect around the roads of South Leeds. It’s ridiculous, what with the White Rose centre too…..bloody hell, you can only imagine what it’s going to be like down on those roads!!!
I choose to stay in on Saturday’s and go nowhere near B& Q/Elland Road/White Rose. I’d like to personally meet the IDIOTS that came up with this idea!! LUNATICS!!!!!