Leeds trams: Mayor makes 2028 mass transit pledge as funding framework approved by leaders

Funding for the first phase of the proposed network, which would link north and south Leeds and Leeds to Bradford was discussed today as part of the final Combined Authority meeting of her term in office.

Having delivered on her election pledge to bring West Yorkshire's buses back under public control, the Mayor has now promised spades in the ground for mass transit by 2028.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Mayor Brabin said: "At the Combined Authority meeting this morning we approved our Strategic Outline Business Case to go before Government and I've promised spades in the ground by 2028.

"We are on fire in West Yorkshire when it comes to transport and we're not going to stop until we get that London-style transport network that the people deserve."

Early sketches for phase one of the Leeds line would see links from St James’ Hospital, through Leeds city centre and on to Elland Road and the White Rose Shopping Centre.

While the proposed Bradford line would run from Leeds city centre to Bradford city centre – also linking Bradford Forster Square station with the new Bradford train station.

Future phases of the network would aim to reach Wakefield, Kirklees and Calderdale.

Mayor Brabin said: "Phasing is important because with two corridors it's very doable, we can get on with that and then you build out from there.

"The bigger plan is to connect out to the five towns, to Calderdale and we have to make sure that everybody is connected by this transport plan."

Plans for a new tram system in Leeds were first proposed in 1991 – more than three decades after the city's original tramway was scrapped.

The Leeds Supertram and Leeds Trolleybus schemes are among a host of proposed schemes that never came to fruition.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has previously pledged £2.5 billion towards delivering a mass transit system for the region after the HS2 link to Leeds was scrapped.

Addressing concerns that this could prove yet another false dawn, Mayor Brabin added: "We have absolute political support across the region which is a game changer and the proposal being region wide is why this time it will happen.

"The National Infrastructure Commission has said that mass transit has to be delivered by whichever Government because this is how you grow the north and grow the national economy.

"We're not alone in this ambition - it's shared by both parties in Westminster and with our regional leaders."

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All proposed routes will be subject to a full public consultation, the first of which is expected to be launched this summer.

The mass transit system is designed to form a key part of a wider integrated transport system in the region that integrates with bus, rail, cycling and walking.