Three-month road closure on Great George Street lifted but some restrictions remain

A three-month road closure has been lifted in Leeds city centre.

The temporary road closure on Great George Street was lifted on Friday morning (May 22) after a three-month closure due to improvement works for the Leeds City Links scheme.

A flagship project funded by the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) and partnered with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the £12.76 million scheme, is designed to upgrade key walking and cycling routes in the city, linking the north and south of the city centre with surrounding communities.

Despite the route reopening, certain restrictions remain in place:

• Drivers can now go straight ahead from Great George Street towards Merrion Street, using a single lane.
• The left turn from Great George Street to Woodhouse Lane is still temporarily closed while works continue to extend the paving and kerbline here.
• The left turn, and a second straight ahead lane will be fully open to drivers in June.

A temporary road closure was implemented on Great George Street, between Dudley Way and Woodhouse Lane, from January 26 for 11 weeks, enabling accelerated delivery and significant cost savings of Leeds City Council’s City Links scheme.

Due to complete in early 2027, the scheme is designed to complement wider city centre initiatives, such as the Woodhouse Lane Gateway scheme.

The full works, which has seen a one-way system installed on Great George Street between Oxford Place and Park Street (Leeds General Infirmary), includes:

The northern corridor of the scheme includes:

• Great George Street from Leighton Street to Woodhouse Lane.
• Great George Street/Merrion Street/Woodhouse Lane junction.
• Merrion Street from Woodhouse Lane to New Briggate.

Work here includes:

• Significantly widening the pavements, which will give pedestrians more space and create opportunities for businesses to have outdoor cafes.
• Providing a segregated cycle two-way cycle track along the whole length of the corridor, with links to existing cycle provision, ensuring a safe, separate space for people to cycle.
• Selective reduction of on-street parking to accommodate wider pavements and the cycle track.
• New or enhanced pedestrian crossings, which will be located on better desire lines, and will be straight-across crossings.
• Separated cycle crossings at junctions.
• Major enhancements to the Great George Street/Woodhouse Lane junction, which will create a nicer environment and easier places to cross.
• New trees and greenery throughout.

The southern corridor of the scheme includes:

• Kirkgate, Wharf Street, and High Court from Leeds Minster to Shears Yard.
• The Calls, Call Lane, Swinegate, Concordia Street and Sovereign Street from Shears Yard to Sovereign Street junction.

Work here includes:

• Widening the pavements, giving pedestrians more space.
• Providing a segregated two-way cycle track along the whole length of the corridor, ensuring a safe, separate space for people to cycle.
• New or enhanced pedestrian crossings.
• Permanent reduction in number of road lanes from two lanes to one, making space for safer pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.