Leeds could see London-style travel network with new transport cards as more powers announced for mayors
Leeds could see a London-style transport network in which commuters use contactless payments to board trains, buses and trams by tapping in and out rather than having to pay for each journey separately, as new powers were announced for mayors.
Unveiling a government white paper in the city earlier today (December 16), the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner set out plans to give local leaders more autonomy over decisions affecting their regions. These include the power to overrule planning decisions and take control of rail services.
The Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, who joined Ms Rayner for the launch at the Nexus building, told the YEP that Leeds should turn to the capital for inspiration in bringing different modes of transport together under one system.
“In London, they have the Overground. We want to be able to integrate public transport on one card,” said Mayor Brabin.
“We already have the most sophisticated travel card outside of London, the MCard. We want to build on that, so that people can use it to get across West Yorkshire.
“Wouldn’t it be great to be able to tap in and out whether you’re travelling on a train, tram, bus or picking up an e-bike? It would all be on one card. There would be a cap like in London and various saver options.”
Mayor Brabin’s comments come after a planned £2.5bn mass transit system received the Chancellor’s backing in the Autumn Budget. It would see trams connect West Yorkshire, as an ongoing consultation continues to seek views on two proposed lines.
The Mayor suggested that the powers unveiled in today’s devolution paper could make building the system easier.
She launched the Mayor’s Fares scheme in 2022, which aimed to make travel more affordable by capping single bus fares at £2. Referring to the initiative, Mayor Brabin said today that the region has already seen benefits from the integration of public transport.
“The Mayor’s Fares had a massive impact on the public, because there were so many different bus operators and fare structures,” she said. “This scheme meant that you could use any operator for any number of journeys on a day saver.”
In her speech in Leeds this afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rayner spoke about devolution “relighting the fire in our great regions”, bringing “efficiency and accountability to local and regional government”.
She continued: “Where better to be marking this milestone than here in Leeds, at the fantastic Nexus innovation hub which brilliantly bridges the gap between business and academia.
“The backdrop here would once have been towering mills and chimneys. Now, places like Leeds are proudly forging a future as bright as their industrial past.”
The devolution plans would also see mayors handed new powers over important planning decisions, meaning they could overrule those made by local authorities. Meanwhile, smaller district councils and larger county councils would be merged in certain areas to streamline services.
But some have suggested that the measures could mean that local communities get less of a say over decisions in their areas.
The YEP asked Mayor Brabin what assurances she could offer residents that their voices would still be heard when it comes to new developments. She said: “Democracy means that you vote me in or vote me out.
“I offered a manifesto about affordable homes, better transport, and a greener, cleaner West Yorkshire. All of those decisions are about working collectively with local authority leaders.
“I can’t see a future where we’re fighting about whether I have powers and they don’t, because we all want the same for our region, which is growth and more money in people’s pockets.”