Biggest road project in 50 years officially opens with just days to go until Leeds Festival

Leader of the council, Coun James Lewis and Coun Helen Hayden, executive member for infrastructure and climate officially opened the biggest infrastructure project undertaken by Leeds city council since the completion of the Leeds Inner Ring Road.

This new route will become the new outer ring road in northeast Leeds and is expected to ease congestion in existing residential areas across Cross Gates, Seacroft, Whitkirk and play a key role in the growth plans for the city for years to come.

The scheme provides 7km of dual carriageway and 14km of dedicated cycleways, pedestrian, and equestrian pathways, as well as specially designed access points to improve connectivity to surrounding areas.

Leader of the council, Coun James Lewis, said:

“The East Leeds Extension has been a major long-standing commitment to enable the sustainable growth of the city. The overall plan will create attractive new neighbourhoods integrated with surrounding local communities and provide parks and infrastructure that serve the needs of new and existing East Leeds residents.

“The new pathways and cycleways provide active travel infrastructure to better connect local communities and help make active, healthy travel options available to all as we work towards being carbon net zero by 2030."

The scheme includes a significant amount of green space and parkland. Once the landscaping is completed early next year, over 40,000 new shrubs and trees will have been planted.

The completed route provides infrastructure to match growing traffic numbers and future requirements as the East Leeds Extension stretches around the edge of Red Hall, Whinmoor, Swarcliffe and Crossgates.

Coun Hyaden added: “As well as the new route allowing the ease of congestion in this part of the city, the development also delivers much needed cycle infrastructure to the area and connects existing cycling routes to the new purpose-built ones."

The extension is expected to allow for the development of up to 5,000 new homes and supporting infrastructure. It has also been delivered ahead of schedule and on-budget, despite the pandemic and soaring materials costs.