Leeds Station improvements, 'smart ticketing' and Dawson's Corner scheme in Pudsey part of £5bn proposal to Government

Council and business leaders will unveil their plans to “rebuild and transform” the region by launching a £5bn package of road and rail projects over the next few years.

The so-called “Northern Infrastructure Pipeline” would see contactless “smart ticketing” systems installed at all rail stations in the North and improvements to Leeds Station.

A long-awaited road scheme at Dawson’s Corner in Pudsey will be prioritised as part of the proposals drawn up by the infrastructure body Transport for the North.

Last August the organisation called on the Government to commit to a “Northern Budget” to finance the list of projects – some 60 of which it says can be delivered within 18 months and about another 100 within four years.

Coun Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council said: “The North has faced decades of underinvestment in infrastructure and rectifying that will be central to the way we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This economic recovery plan and the Northern Infrastructure Pipeline will not only help the North rebuild our economy, but also help rebalance the UK economy and deliver for our communities.

“We know that the way people access and use public transport has changed during the pandemic, but the fundamental challenge to build capacity and reliability into the transport network remains and must be addressed to truly transform the North.”

Time to unlock the gridlock

The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Unlock the Gridlock campaign sets out five key transport priorities that we want political leaders at both a local and government level to support.

The five priorities for transport in Leeds – based on the views of readers – are:

1. An expert analysis of what’s not working in terms of transport in our city;

2. A pledge to consider a mass transit system for Leeds after previous plans were shelved;

3. Fixing Leeds’ unreliable bus network;

4. Improving our train services;

5. Making our city better for walking and cycling.

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Laura Collins