Councillors saddle up for decision on cycle superhighway extension

The existing CityConnect superhighway runs from Seacroft in east Leeds to the city centre and then out westwards through Pudsey to the middle of Bradford.

Now, following a successful bid to the Government’s Cycling City Ambition Grant programme, a total of £6.5m has been made available for the first phase of CityConnect2 in Leeds.

It involves extending the superhighway through the city centre on routes such as Wellington Street-City Square, Queen Street-Westgate and from Leeds Bridge into the South Bank regeneration area.

Should Leeds City Council’s decision-making executive board give the scheme the green light, then work is scheduled to start on site this June with a view to completion by May 2018.

Funding has yet to be secured for other proposed elements of CityConnect2, which include superhighway extensions to Morley and Leeds United’s Elland Road ground.

Coun Richard Lewis, the council’s executive member for regeneration, transport and planning, said it was “important” to invest in ways to encourage safe cycling and walking, adding: “These plans form part of our long-term transport strategy to make it easier to get around the city.”

Coun Lewis also said: “A lot has been learned from the issues which arose during the construction of the first part of the cycle superhighway which will help guide the next phases as the project continues to develop.”

The Leeds-Bradford superhighway opened in June amid criticism that parts of it brought riders into conflict with pedestrians.

Work on the section of the route running from Leeds city centre to Seacroft along the A64 was also hit by lengthy delays.