West Yorkshire mass transit: Calls to make Leeds the focus as region's 'beating heart and economic powerhouse'

The city is the 'beating heart and economic powerhouse of the region', which is why it ought to be at the very centre of designs for a mass transit system.

That was the rallying call of Conservative Coun Neil Buckley in a letter to the Yorkshire Evening Post.

He insisted that Leeds' population should justify its place at the centre of the scheme, which is expected to be built by 2040. It comes after others suggested it should not be "Leeds-centric".

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) is behind plans for the transport system, which will serve all five local authorities in the region.

Although maps showing potential stops on the network have been released over the last two years, exact routes and locations have not been confirmed.

At a recent WYCA meeting, Labour Coun Kayleigh Brooks, who represents Little London and Woodhouse at Leeds City Council, said she did not want to see "Leeds getting loads of money and then it not connecting to Calderdale".

But Coun Buckley, who has represented Alwoodley for more than a decade, had other suggestions.

He said in his letter: "I was surprised to hear the reported comments about the proposed mass-transit scheme, made by Coun Brooks at a recent meeting.

"She is reported to have said that she is against 'Leeds getting loads of money' and that she supports a scheme which is not 'Leeds-centric'. It should be Leeds-centric! Leeds is the only big city in the region (the population of West Yorkshire is 2.3 million, of which Leeds has a third).

"It is the economic powerhouse of West Yorkshire (the GVA, Gross Value Added for Leeds alone is nearly half of West Yorkshire’s entire GVA, much higher than Calderdale, Kirklees and so on).

"Leeds must be put first in the mass-transit project to enable it to continue its economic leadership. As charming as the attractions of Huddersfield and Halifax might be, Leeds is the beating heart of this region and must be treated as such."