A660 Leeds: Council chiefs defend ‘life-saving’ cycle lane proposals amid public backlash

The Friends of Woodhouse Moor claim Leeds City Council’s plans to revamp the A660, which stretches into the city centre from the north-west, will wipe out green space and increase congestion and pollution.

But the council insists the proposals will save lives and improve Leeds’ environment by giving people more alternatives to the car.

In a comprehensive response to the Friends group’s claims, which were made in a presentation to councillors in March, the local authority also disputed the suggestion a consultation over the plans had been “biased”.

In the response, published online this month, it said: “The council is committed to making Leeds carbon neutral by 2030.

It added: “By providing new sustainable infrastructure to help residents reduce their own carbon footprint, the proposals aim to provide a viable alternativeto the car and as people choose sustainable travel, pollution should decrease.”

The Friends group said that turning a pavement across Woodhouse Moor into a cycle lane would cause “traffic stacking” and be “dangerous”, but the council said it would improve safety for pedestrians and reduce casualties on the road.

It added: “Confident cyclists currently use bus lanes or the carriageway, but by providing a segregated cycle path or shared-use path (Avenue Walk, Woodhouse Moor), it gives people who are newer to cycling an alternative to cycling in a bus lane, which can feel intimidating.

“People who cycle in shared-use spaces should be travelling at slower speeds and giving way to pedestrians.

It added: “To do nothing is also not feasible as the existing issues of road safety, lack of connectivity and congestion would not be addressed.”

In response to criticism of the loss of grass verges to create space for the bike lanes, the council said it would maximise the “re-use of paving and kerb materials” and this would be “targeted at the areas of greatest conservation priority, such as Woodhouse Moor.”

Officers also confirmed that while 11 trees will be felled as part of the project, some of those are in poor health and 33 new ones will be planted to compensate.

Work on the scheme is expected to start this summer.