The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has launched a public consultation on options for two tram lines in the Leeds-Bradford area, mooted as the first stage of a long-awaited mass transit system.
The proposals follow high level plans set out by Mayor Tracy Brabin earlier this year and a pledge from the previous government of £2.5bn redirected HS2 cash to ‘ensure delivery of a West Yorkshire Mass Transit System for Leeds and the wider area’.
The consultation brochure states: ‘Across the whole mass transit network, it is possible we will use a combination of different mass transit vehicle types.
'However, at the moment, we are proposing to use trams for phase one and are undertaking this consultation on that basis.’
The proposal is for two lines – a Bradford Line and a Leeds Line, with the first having three possible routes and the second having multiple possible combinations of options.
Ms Brabin said: ‘I’ve promised to have spades in the ground by 2028 on Mass Transit, but we need to understand the views of the people who will use it to help inform the route it will take.’
National Infrastructure Commission chair Sir John Armitt said: ‘Our analysis suggests West Yorkshire is one of the country’s biggest priorities for a major public transport upgrade to meet the needs of local residents and businesses – and this is now firmly on its way.
‘The effects of making journeys easier and reducing road congestion should unlock significant and sustainable economic growth for Leeds, Bradford and the wider region, as well as improving everyday life.'
The proposed Bradford Line would go from the city to Leeds centre through Armley via either Stanningley or Laisterdyke, or would take a more southern route through Laisterdyke and then Wortley.
The Leeds Line would connect St James’s Hospital to the White Rose Shopping Centre via the city centre. It will be a single, continuous route but for the purpose of the consultation it has been split into two parts – a Leeds city centre section north of the river, and a South Leeds section south of the river.
The Leeds city centre section has four route options and the South Leeds section has three route options, with one of each combining to create the whole route.
The consultation provides information about the different route options according to passenger experience; how they support the combined authority’s Mass Transit Vision 2040; how they could improve or impact the local environment; design and engineering considerations.
It also sets out how the authority sees the project’s ‘placemaking’ role, stating: ‘We see mass transit as a catalyst for community change, enhancing the spaces between destinations with green, vibrant and inclusive public areas that create social interaction and economic growth.’
The consultation runs until 30 September, with a statutory preferred route consultation next year, leading towards an application for a Transport and Works Act Order in the second half of 2026 and a planning inquiry in 2027.
The proposals are the latest in a series of attempts to bring a mass transit system to West Yorkshire and to Leeds in particular.
Two decades ago, the previous Labour government rejected the city’s bid for a ‘supertram’ network because of spiralling costs, although trams were briefly refloated as a possibility – potentially as tram-trains – alongside bendy buses or trolley buses.
In 2016, the Conservative government rejected plans to build a £250m trolley bus network in Leeds on the advice of a planning inspector.
