Leeds City Council needs to just get on with tram system - YEP letters

By Philip Crowther, via email

Forget about an underground system. An effective system would cost hundreds of millions if not billions and take an HS2-like time period to design and construct along with years of disruption. Just look at London Crossrail as an example which is only partially underground. No government would sanction such expense for an area with less than one million inhabitants

Opening Beeching-cut rail links is another Boris throw away line and a red herring. For example Crossgates to Wetherby, Otley to Arthington and the like have track beds that have since the 1960s been built on industrially and domestically, had bridges demolished, returned to farm land, had cuttings filled in or been effected by road schemes. Eye watering costs again and practicality rule out such schemes unless a bottomless pit of money is available.

So in my view Leeds is left with the obvious over ground bus and tram schemes so many others have successfully installed. The problem is that all others bit the bullet 30 years ago, any such Leeds/ Bradford scheme would now cause mayhem on roads already at saturation point. But to do nothing is not acceptable so let's hope Leeds Council gets on with it and stops interminably consulting.