Plans for Cross Flatts Active Travel area revealed

Plans to block through routes for cars in the Cross Flatts area of Beeston have been revealed in a letter to residents and on a Council website here.

As previously reported, planters will be used to block off rat runs with the aim of keeping traffic on the main roads. The area covered comprises the streets between Beeston Road, Dewsbury Road, Old Lane and Cross Flatts Park, plus the Allenbys. The area will effictively be cut into five neighbourhoods as far as car traffic are concerned

The aims of the Active Travel Neighbourhood in Beeston are to:

  • Create safer, quieter residential streets, using planters and changes to signing.
  • Remove the ‘through’ traffic to prevent vehicles from outside the area using the residential area as a short cut and to maintain as much residential parking as possible.
  • Make it safer for children to play out
  • Make it safer and more pleasant to walk or cycle to local cafes, shops and parks.
  • Allow safer connections for local residents to the new cycle infrastructure that is due to be installed.

Through routes including Cross Flatts Grove; Cross Flatts Avenue / Dalton Avenue /  Woodlea Place; Theodore Street / Oakhurst Avenue and Barkly Road will be blocked, as will six junctions along Beeston Road (see map below).

The closures will remain in place for at least six months to allow for evaluation of benefits and problems. At the end of 18 months the closures could be made permanent if the scheme is a success.

Reaction the scheme has been mixed with some residents criticising the plans.

Linda Meikle commented on Facebook:

“So everybody in Beeston is going to spend more than twice as much in fuel and time to get anywhere or back from anywhere, making circular traffic on roads that are already congested even worse and dangerous, with traffic for instance waiting on Dewsbury Road to turn up (Cross Flatts) Grove.”

But others are more supportive, Mark Day said:

“I assume the idea is to encourage people to walk more. Perhaps if your a two minute drive from Asda you could walk and are more likely to if it results in it taking longer to drive. I understand not everyone is able, but overall it might cause a reduction.”

Residents can comment on the plans via the website here.

 

34 Replies to “Plans for Cross Flatts Active Travel area revealed”

  1. If it slows down all the ‘speedsters’ who totally refuse to slow down and adhere to the speed signs, then it has to be a good idea. People WILL complain about the plans, but then, didn’t they complain about the ASDA and petrol station on Old Lane. Wouldn’t be without them now!!

  2. Ridiculous. It will cause more traffic. More dangerous driving. More anti social behaviour.

  3. It’s ridiculous, the council should have at least got a consent from all residents as we all pay council tax.
    This has added extra journey to work and back , school runs and everything else…

    Crossflatts park is right here
    People can WALK to it or cycle to it..
    OR PUT A ZEBRA CROSSING OR TRAFFIC LIGHTS SIMPLE!!

    Which ever idiot chaired the meeting and gave the go ahead should be fired!!! SIMPLE!!

    They have not taken in consideration what the residents really want!!!

    Put a chuffing speed camera up for cars which are speeding..SIMPLE!!!

    Or the real reason is Leeds United traffic? Then close the roads oFf on the day of matches( LIKE on the plan) SIMPLE!!

    KIND REGARDS
    PISSED OFF RESIDENT OF LEEDS!!

    1. WELL SAID. I am just waiting for all the ones that are for it to start complaining when traffic diverts down the back streets. All the access will be chaotic and I am going to sit back and laugh now and wait for the next ellections.

    2. totally agree with you. the people who make these stupid decisions don’t live in the area and therefore do not suffer from the ridiculous ideas they come up with. Is this what we pay our taxes for. its bad enough on match days but this is going to make it worse. There are far too many of these planters it would have been better to introduce a few and see the effect before going mad and making it like a maze.

  4. Emergency vehicles need to be able to move around Beeston without planters been in the way .There will be more air pollution caused by traffic jams on roads that we are able to use.if you need to visit an elderly relative and it’s an emergency it will be frustrating if you have to drive a long way round to get to them .

  5. The only ones NOT complaining are those who don’t work or drive!!! It’s bad enough getting around than closing roads!!!! We motorists pay enough in various taxes than pay more through fuel

    1. It would be good to get the back lane behind asda sorted out its in terrible condition and is one of the main pedestrian routes from the cardinals upto the coop. A lot of parents use the route to get to Hugh Gaitskell and Beeston Primary, it also is the quickest way to asda from the redhalls/town street/cardinals etc. Theres no lighting at night which isnt good for school children in winter, its full of pot holes and is very overgrown at times which makes the path really narrow. Ive always thought more people would be encouraged to walk that way if it was a bit safer and nicer to look at. We’ve hardly any natural green space in beeston and what we do have ends up overgrown with weeds and full of litter!

      1. Brilliant comment from Becky regarding the back road behind ASDA. It is a total mess and needs sorting out. The ‘Back Lane’ at the side of ASDA was re-tarmacked after the build, so why not do the back road. Terrible for prams etc. and as Becky said, “Quickest route from the Redhalls, Cardinals to Town Street etc.

    2. Who said anything about closing roads? The whole idea is to make the roads like a chicane where cars have to slow down. OR, is it me that’s got it wrong? We do need clarification on the subject from the Council regarding the speeding traffic as the Police do not seem to be doing anything about it! I have not received a letter yet from the ‘Powers that Be’, maybe that would change my mind!!

      1. John – the plans block Cross Flatts Avenue, Cross Flatts Grove and Firth Grove at their junctions with Wooler Avenue.
        Theodore Street and Barkly Drive are also blocked at their junctions with Barkly Road.
        The plans remove the ability to traverse the area by motor vehicle, north to south and east to west.

      2. They are closing roads, if you check out the key on the plan the large single box on the map is a closed road at that point, then there is a double box symbol which is a narrowing. Considerable roads will be closed, to get to my home will be a nightmare at any time

    3. They did the same scheme in Tooting (another Liebour controlled council) and it lasted from the 17th to 23rd August. The people won in the end but not till loads of money had been wasted and disruption caused. All they need to do is make the streets safer from the scum and people will use the streets more for walking. Good grief. How many times have we heard of teenagers having their bikes stolen when they are riding them.. How many houses dont have room for bikes. How many are wanting to let kids play out when they have gardens back and front.

  6. I haven’t received any letters or notifications. I have no problem with walking, but my husband is disabled and blocking access on our street will keep him from using the car to get out. There needs to be an actual consultation with people who live on these streets.

  7. How are car owners who live on these streets going to get to their houses if the streets have planters blocking the way ? Also what are people who use mobility scooters that are for road use only – not pavement only – ones going to get about – not everyone can walk to the local shops – also will it affect cost of fares for residents wanting to use local taxi companies –

    1. How will it affect grocery deliveries? Looks like Parkfield Ave and Parkfield Row are completely blocked off!

  8. About time. There is no reason any of these streets need to be through routes. Closing them will make the whole area better for local residents and the rat runners will have to find a new route.

    1. Many reasons to have them as through roads, such as my desire to be able to head north or south without having to always use Dewsbury Road or now Tempest Road just to go north! Plenty of other options for traffic calming that would slow traffic and dissuade the minority of people using it as a ‘cut through’ without inconveniencinng the majority of residents surely?

      1. Well said. But when you have a council that thinks its knows better than the people it is supposed to represent what do you expect

  9. This scheme now puts 15 mins onto my 2 min journey from the Allenby’s to see relatives in Cross Flatts Street, anyone who has travelled along Old Lane and Dewsbury Road during peak times would realise this. …and before you say walk, those of us with arthritis cannot walk.. I am also really concerned that there has been no consultation. Like a previous resident stated, put up speed cameras. Don’t penalise the majority for the few inconsiderate speeders.

  10. I can walk round Beeston on a lunchtime and barely see half a dozen drivers, so not exactly who these rat-runners are? The whole reason people cut through or speed is because the streets are quiet! If the problem is speeding rather than volume of traffic surely traffic calming methods would be more effective than blocking roads and inconveniencing all the residents!

      1. Forcing everyone (including local residents) to use the main roads at peak hours seems to be creating more problems, perhaps there is a way of disuading non-local residents from cutting through (eg slowing traffic) without impeding local access.

    1. Its busy when people are going or coming from work. (which is why the majority have cars) and there are speeding boy racers on a night mainly delivering,

  11. Does anyone know if this is actually a done deal or can we as residents get things altered as there appears to be one of these planters outside my house.

  12. A friend of mine lives in a street which is going to be affected and says it’s very rare that cars use it to cut through — they work from home so are aware of few cars that go past their house —– so probably going to be a waste of time and money if it goes ahead. They’ve had nothing informing them of these plans

  13. This is the council doing what councils do. They vote through these barmy schemes without consulting the people who live in the area because they can. If you give people power they will always ALWAYS always abuse it. It will be totally inconvenient to all residents and the traffic when Leeds United are playing will be worse than ever, especially now they can expect full house crowds.
    As for helping cyclists, I have lived in Beeston twenty-eight years and cannot remember the last time I saw anyone on a bycicle.
    I am surprised the council are not using Covid-19 as an excuse to do this.
    Stopping law-abiding, council tax paying, hard working people from going where they want in any direction is just what councils love doing.
    You only have to see what happens when they close half the city for a few hundred people to run round in shorts and trainers, or how they close off all the roads and streets so lycra-clad cyclists can enjoy riding round on their bikes.
    Yes typical of this barmy council. Not surprising. But it will happen because they are the council.

    1. Well said Geoffrey, yet another stupid idea from the council which is supposed to look after the interests of its local residents but, without any consultation whatsoever they plan to disrupt the daily lives of literally thousands of local people, they have zero consideration for the people they are meant to represent

  14. This travel plan uses 17 road blocks to divide Beeston into 5 disconnected blocks of street. This will serious effect the ability of the emergency services [Police, Ambulance and Fire services] from carrying out their statutory duty to protect life and property. It will impair Leeds City Council bin collection lorries and bamboozle home delivery drivers. It will have a very serious effect on the number of small shops with the 5 blocks as there will be no passing trade. It will also affecting the shops on Beeston Road due to a reduction in 10 minute car parking in the side street. The 6 road blocked onto Beeston Road will have the effect of turning these currently through roads into cul-de-sacs with no turning circle. Thus delivery vans/lorries and bin lorries will have to reverse out passed lines of parked cars on either side. The latest census on cycling revealed that 48% of of the population have bikes, but only 3% use them every day. i.e less that 1.5% of the total population use a bike as a means of transport. the rest of us use bikes for fun. Leeds City Councils obsession with cycle lanes it an utter waste of money.

  15. This will stop rat runs through from town Street to dewsbury road. It will also stop drivers from speeding through the streets hense make it safer for everyone. Can’t understand the objections.

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