Leeds nostalgia: Subway link plan for the city centre

Leeds City Council was monitoring the new no traffic zone on The Headrow and said it wanted to extend the new pedestrian zone and create a new precinct linking The Headrow with the Merrion Centre.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Feb 2018, 09:19 BST
Updated 16th Feb 2018, 09:20 BST
Council plans unveiled in 1975 included opening up a subway from the Merrion Centre to The Headrow.Council plans unveiled in 1975 included opening up a subway from the Merrion Centre to The Headrow.
Council plans unveiled in 1975 included opening up a subway from the Merrion Centre to The Headrow.

Planning officer Christopher Stocks said: “A facility exists in the design of the Merrion Centre to create a subway between Merrion Street and The Headrow at its junction with Woodhouse Lane.”

The story was printed in the Yorkshire Evening Post in February 1975.

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When the Merrion Centre was built, engineers created a number of subway passages connecting to other nearby parts of the city, allowing unfettered pedestrian access across some of the busy roads which surround the building.

However, these have been either been blocked off or are used for storage, although their entrances can still be seen. So, while these tunnels are no longer in use and have been closed off for some time, they can still be spotted from the north-west side of the centre, close to the back of Morrisons, with the main tunnel entrances clearly visible from Woodhouse Lane.

If you have stories about the abandoned subway, get in touch.

Related topics:Merrion CentreLeedsLeeds City CouncilMorrisons