A £617,000 bid by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to fund a fleet of five ultra-low emission electric buses to serve the new, 1,200 space park and ride site at Stourton in Leeds has been successful.
In addition, bus company First West Yorkshire have been awarded £1.77 million to introduce nine of the ultra-low emission buses.
Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee and Leeds Councillor for Middleton Park ward, said:
“This announcement that these bids for £2.38 million to fund 14 ultra-low emission electric buses, five of which will serve the new park and ride site at Stourton, is great news for local air quality.
“Our Elland Road Park and Temple Green park and ride facilities are already removing around 9,000 cars and the pollution they can cause, particularly when queuing, from Leeds city centre roads each week.
“The development of the 1,200-space Stourton with these five electric buses to serve it will further enhance those significant benefits.”
Professor Simon Pringle, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (The LEP) Green Economy Panel said:
“Good transport systems that reduce congestion underpin the clean growth that we have been championing for the Leeds City Region through our Green and Blue Infrastructure and Energy Strategies.
“By replacing thousands of city centre car journeys from Leeds each week, with travel on low-emission buses from Elland Road and Temple Green, park and ride is already having a positive impact on the city’s air quality and today’s announcement is good news that will build on that success.”
Leeds City Council’s Executive Board Member for Transport, Regeneration and Planning, Councillor Richard Lewis, said:
“We’re delighted the funding will support the development of the 1,200-space Stourton park and ride site with five electric buses. It will make more and more people’s journey greener, having the opportunity to leave their cars behind and travel into the city by electric bus. It will enhance our efforts to make the air cleaner in Leeds. Not only will people benefit from this, they will have a clear conscience that the vehicle they are using is contributing to the clean air zone.”
Paul Matthews, Managing Director of First West Yorkshire, said:
“We’re pleased with today’s announcement, which adds to our existing commitments to invest £71m in ultra-low emission vehicles to aid with improving air quality in Leeds. Together with the support of our partners, the introduction of these electric vehicles will enable us to convert route 5 to a fully electric service between Leeds and Halton Moor which also incorporates the popular ‘Leeds City Bus’ route.”
The successful West Yorkshire Combined Authority was for £617,000 to fund five buses and the charging infrastructure required. First West Yorkshire will receive £1.77 million for nine buses and infrastructure.
This is the latest funding announced by the Department for Transport to drive the uptake of zero emission vehicles. Across the UK, passengers will benefit from £48 million investment in 263 new ultra-low emission buses.
Announcing the funding, Buses Minister Nusrat Ghani said:
“This government is doing more than ever before to reduce emissions across all modes of transport and I’m delighted to see the bus industry putting itself at the forefront of this.”
This post is based on a press release issued by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Numerous studies have shown that park & ride facilities do not greatly reduce congestion or pollution, they simply shift the problems elsewhere.
The congestion and subsequent pollution will increase dramatically around Stourton, Rothwell, Woodlesford and Oulton caused by the additional traffic.
The most at risk, children, the elderly and those with medical conditions will be most impacted.
A large percentage of the car journeys into Leeds will continue unless parking facilities within the city centre are dramatically reduced.
You could be sinical and link the fact Leeds City Council have excluded the area from the clean air zone specifically for this reason.
Once again local residents will feel the brunt of Leeds Council using the area as a dumping ground.
Weirdly the exact opposite has happened at Elland Road. Would you care to provide a link to the research you mentioned?
It would make an interesting read.
some years ago blackpool ran express bus from blackpool to preston then preston opend park and ride then the bus had to stop no passengers they drove to the park and ride . same will happen in leeds use on the 110 bus will drop cars will just drive to the park and ride.