Cycle lane and one-way system to be installed as final phase of revamp on A660 in Leeds gets underway
Phases one and two will complete this month
The final phase of works on a crucial route from Headingley to Leeds city centre is due to get underway from today.
The A660 is a busy route with pedestrians and cyclists, seeing over 1,000 cyclists using it daily. Regrettably, injury collisions involving these groups are high, with improved infrastructure needed.
Leeds City Council, alongside partners the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, will start work on the remaining phase of the £10.4 million revamp the A660 from today (Monday, June 22) until spring 2027. Funded by Active Travel England’s Active Travel Fund, the highways improvements will bring the route up to the Department for Transport’s latest design guidance to create high-quality, safe infrastructure for people who walk, wheel and cycle.
The scheme aims to improve bus reliability on this busy corridor into and out of the city centre, reduce road deaths and serious injuries on the A660, in line with the council’s Vision Zero 2040 Strategy, and entice more residents to take up walking and cycling – working towards Connecting Leeds’s Transport Strategy targets.
Councillor Peter Carlill, Leeds City Council’s executive member for transport and planning, said: “Our Vision Zero Strategy data shows that over 70% of people involved in collisions along this route are vulnerable road users - people walking, wheeling and cycling - showing an essential need for us to create safer ways for people to travel.
“I’m pleased to see the start of the final phase of works beginning and hope the improvements help to encourage even more people to choose active and sustainable methods of travel which can boost health and wellbeing, and help tackle climate change.”
Phases one and two, A660 from Shaw Lane to Hyde Park Corner, will complete this month, with the remaining final phase, A660 from Hyde Park Corner to Spenceley Street underway.
As part of the final phase of works, Cliff Road will become one-way southbound to motor vehicles, with a banned right turn out onto the A660, Rampart Road will have a right-turn out ban, and Clarendon Road will have the left-turn out banned for drivers.
These restrictions will help improve safety, especially for pedestrians and cyclists at these junctions, and for Clarendon Road, help with the efficiency of traffic at the junction.
As part of the previous works, Leeds City Council have updated existing bus stops along the route to bring the cycle bypasses in-line with updated government guidance. The cycle lane has been narrowed at each bus stop to create a boarding area for users to get on and off the bus.
Construction works will be between Hyde Park Corner and Spenceley Street, including the Clarendon Road junction. Traffic will continue to flow in both directions on A660 Woodhouse Lane. Access to businesses will be maintained during their opening hours, and local and emergency access will continue throughout.
“This route into Leeds is undergoing major changes with important schemes currently happening and planned to commence later in the year,” Coun Carlill added. “Our engineers and contractors across the schemes are working hard to ensure traffic and buses are kept moving throughout, often undertaking night works when there is less demand on the network.
“I would like to thank local businesses and residents for being patient whilst these works are happening, and, like many of you, look forward to the A660 scheme completing next year.”
Plans for the route were originally part of a public consultation in 2023, with 63 per cent of respondents backing the proposals.
Construction designs have been updated since the consultation, with officers now removing the central reservation in the road to create a fully segregated cycle path on Avenue Walk (adjacent to Woodhouse Moor). Additional pockets of greenery and floating bus stop bypasses are also included in the plans – in line with Department for Transport’s guidance on cycle and bus stop provision.
While works are ongoing on Woodhouse Lane and Clarendon Road, temporary bus stops will be in operation nearby.
Phase three is made up of:
- Widening of narrow pavements
- A new, segregated cycle lane on either side of A660 Woodhouse Lane, by removing the central reservation on the road
- A new toucan crossing near Cliff Road, to help school children cross
- Cliff Road becoming one-way southbound to motor vehicles, with a banned right-turn out onto the A660
- Bus priority measures and the replacement of existing bus stops with new bus shelters and upgraded real-time technology
- Signalisation of Rampart Road junction with a banned right-turn out onto the A660
- Major upgrade and reconfiguration of A660/Clarendon Road junction, including banned left-turn out onto the A660
- New trees and greenery
- Resurfacing of the road