We hope you are keeping well. We’re writing to you regarding a Park and Ride scheme which could significantly reduce local parking problems caused by Horsforth station commuters. We understand the stress this congestion causes and want to select the right location for a park and ride in north Leeds; one which will significantly reduce car numbers coming into Cookridge and Tinshill.
Labour’s plan is to provide a better option than Horsforth station so that commuters coming into Leeds don’t even reach Cookridge or Tinshill. The good news is that a new station which will do exactly this has gone through consultation and has money allocated by West Yorkshire Combined Authority. The Park and Ride at Leeds Bradford International Parkway Station, north of Horsforth, is due for completion in 2023 and will have 350 parking spaces. This will reduce traffic coming into Horsforth station, and so lessen both your street parking problem and ring road traffic.
You may know that work has started on the Woodside Quarry site, and that Lib Dem Councillors have suggested that including a station will ease congestion and parking issues. However the site planning permission given in 2016, before any Labour representation in Weetwood, didn’t allocate space for a Park and Ride; there will only be up to 50 parking spaces there unless protected trees are removed. A halt platform written into the plans is not guaranteed and wouldn’t change your parking issues. If anything, it could worsen traffic problems on the ring road and surrounding streets by causing bottlenecks at peak times.
We want to be honest in our communication with residents and hope this letter explains Labour’s thoughts on the issue. We know our city has a long way to go to reduce reliance on car travel and that no one scheme can solve all our transport problems. Labour are passionate about backing a scheme that will increase use of public transport and active travel and, looking forward, improve our health and the air we breathe.
We’d like to hear what you think about these plans so please do contact us. We hope to meet you before too long, when restrictions ease.
Emma Flint and Alex Sobel MP
Your Labour team for Weetwood