Fresh consultation on West Yorkshire mass transit development
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is asking for responses from people and businesses on how the proposed mass transit system can drive economic growth and development.
Mayor Tracy Brabin has pledged to bring a tram network to the region, promising to get spades in the ground by 2028.
The first two routes - from Leeds to Bradford and down to the White Rose Centre via Elland Road - are slated to be completed by the late 2030s, with the potential for further lines to be added in the future.
Yesterday, all five local authorities in West Yorkshire launched consultations to ensure there is a co-ordinated approach to regeneration around the mass transit routes.
The will help set out a framework for building around the tram network in councils’ statutory development plans.
Ms Brabin wants to focus new developments around future mass transit stops along the two routes.
“Mass transit – a vital part of our Weaver Network - has the potential to transform West Yorkshire,” she said.
"Our ambition is for a network that stretches across the whole region, so we need to ensure our plans are strategic, joined-up and made collaboratively.
"We want your feedback to help us build a mass transit system which delivers the maximum benefits for generations to come."
The consultation comes after the Government agreed to the next block of funding for the scheme going into the mid 2030s, providing the business case stacks up.
This was a big boost to Ms Brabin, after a controversial review into the project, which remains secret, caused the completion date to be delayed.
Now, the mayor has to produce a business case to convince the DfT that it’s worth investing in trams.
She certainly has Rachel Reeves onside, who recently told this paper: “There will be trams. Mass transit does not mean a few better buses, mass transit means a tram network.”
However, the DfT is requiring WYCA to put together a business case for a new bus network as well as a tram system, raising the prospect that Ms Brabin could be overruled by Whitehall.
On top of this, the combined authority has already had to change its process, following the critical review from the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (Nista).
Previously WYCA was attempting to work on the business case and the planning process at the same time to speed up the timeframe, however the review advised it to focus on the former first.
This caused the completion date to be delayed and created intense speculation, after this paper revealed the contents of the review will be kept secret.