Forty five thousand leaflets about the New Generation Transport (NGT) trolleybus project are being sent to homes, offices, businesses, libraries and other public places along the initial planned trolleybus route – which includes parts of south Leeds.
Containing key facts and figures about NGT along with a map of the first route, the leaflets provide an opportunity for people to feed back their views on the scheme. This is ahead of the application for a Transport & Works Act Order in Spring/Summer 2013, which is likely to result in a Public Inquiry.
NGT Project Director Dave Haskins told South Leeds Life:
“We have already held engagement events along ‘Line One’ between Stourton and Holt Park at which people had the chance to come along, meet the NGT team and find out about the project. However we want to make sure people along the route are kept up to date and have an ongoing opportunity to give us their views.”
As well as reminding people they can get updates about the project by following @ngttrolleybus on Twitter and at the New Generation Transport page on Facebook, the leaflet explains that people can give their feedback via www.ngtmetro.com, by emailing ngtinfo@wypte.gov.uk or by writing to NGT, Wellington House, Leeds, LS1 2DE.
In a recent article in the Daily Telegraph’s Property Section, the NGT trolleybus scheme was cited as one of the reasons property prices are set to rise in the city. It says prices in Leeds are likely to rise by five per cent by late 2014 and mentions Bodington, Holt Park and Stourton along the trolleybus route as an‘investment tip’.
NGT is forecast to provide a 3% boost to the local economy and 4,000 local long-term jobs. When it was given the go-ahead for £170m+ funding in July, it was welcomed by the Leeds, York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce as ‘a great decision’.
NGT’s Line One will run from Holt Park in north Leeds into and through Leeds city centre and on to Stourton in the south of the city near the M1/M621intersection. With around 3,000 Park & Ride spaces in total, the route runs along the A660 through Lawnswood, Headingley and Hyde Park. It passes the universities and the new Leeds Arena and crosses the city centre via Park Row, City Square and the Rail Station before heading south via Clarence (New) Dock and through the centre of Hunslet to Stourton.
“Line One will follow a route where congestion and unreliable journey times already cause problems and are likely to cause more in the future,” said Haskins. “It is in areas where there is no easily accessible rail-based alternative and also where faster and more efficient transport links would provide the greatest benefits to employment, education, health and the city’s overall economy.”
Over the coming weeks letters are also being sent to all properties directly along NGT Route One reminding occupants of the official information process that goes with a Transport & Works Act application and Public Inquiry.
“The majority of people with properties along the planned route will have had these letters before, informing them about the process but we want to remind them what will happen and make sure they look out for the official letters,” added Haskins.
