Drop-in events on Leeds Bus Station improvement plans

17 October 2019

People are being invited to come along to Leeds Bus Station for two drop-in sessions about plans for major improvements.

The two events, which are an opportunity for people to find out more about the proposals and provide feedback, take place between 10am and 1pm on Tuesday 22 October and from 3pm to 6pm on Thursday 24 October.

Key gateway

Used by 28,000 people every day, Leeds Bus Station is a key gateway for people arriving in the city centre. West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which manages the county’s Metro bus station, and Leeds City Council have drawn up plans to transform the facility for passengers.

A comprehensive make-over of the main concourse will create a more attractive waiting area with a greater sense of space and clearer signage and information for passengers. The Travel Centre will be remodelled to provide a warmer welcome and help customers access the information and products they need more quickly. And the retail spaces will be upgraded with new.

Other planned changes include remodelling the main entrances on York Street and Dyer Street realigned seating and new automatic doors at bus stands to make boarding more convenient. The installation of an electricity-generating solar panel system, would make the bus station self-sufficient.

Wayfinding and new flooring with tactile guidance and RNIB audio units at bus stand areas will help ensure the bus station is accessible for all users. Behind the scenes the facilities for bus drivers to prepare and eat food and take rest breaks would also be upgraded.

The Leeds Bus Station page on the Combined Authority's Your Voice consultation website has already received over 1,000 visits.

Visit the YourVoice Leeds Bus Station Page.

Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, said: “These improvements will help ensure Leeds Bus Station provides a fitting welcome for Leeds and the City Region, through a brighter, much-improved environment for customers with clearer information, signposting and links into the city centre, including the Corn Exchange area.

“These plans are in line with our overall ambitions, through the West Yorkshire Bus Alliance, to reduce congestion and the pollution it causes by making bus travel more attractive and meet the Combined Authority’s commitment to tackling climate change.

“I would urge everyone with an interest to have their say online or to come along to one of the planned drop-in events.”

Councillor Lisa Mulherin, Executive Board Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainable Development at Leeds City Council, said: “Improving Leeds Bus Station will help to provide passengers with a better experience and welcoming environment. Along with our Connecting Leeds plans to increase the amount of park and ride spaces, better bus information and improved reliability – our aim is to make public transport more attractive and easier to use.

“Making public transport more attractive will enable our city to become less reliant on cars. This will enable us to help reduce the greenhouse gas produced by private motor vehicles. Please take this opportunity to have your say on these plans.”

Corn Exchange

A consultation on plans to transform the area around Leeds city centre’s Corn Exchange to improve bus reliability and enhance walking and cycling opportunities, is also underway.

Find out more about the Corn Exchange proposals.

Both the Bus Station and Corn Exchange schemes form part of Leeds City Council’s Connecting Leeds programme, the long-term transport strategy for Leeds, which aims to improve all aspects of transport and travel in the city and connect people to the wider Leeds City Region. Connecting Leeds will see unprecedented £270 million invested in the city’s transport network.

People have until Monday 4 November to provide feedback, which will then be used to amend the plans. The project is forecast to be completed by March 2021.