Leeds United: Local people say they want tram to go to Elland Road, says West Yorkshire's Mayor
The public are telling policymakers they want a tram to go to Leeds United’s Elland Road football ground, according to the Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin.
Ms Brabin made the comments while attending the UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) , which was held over three days at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.
Ms Brabin told The Yorkshire Post that the fact 16,000 people were attending UKREiif showed that more people wanted to come to Leeds to talk about investment.
Ms Brabin believes her ambition to bring trams to West Yorkshire, which received renewed backing from the Prime Minister earlier this year, will be key to unlocking economic opportunities. The Mayor believes the region’s mass transit system will redefine the journey from Bradford to Leeds, improve public spaces and drive economic growth.
"People see corridors of opportunity and this year we've got investable propositions,’’ she added. “You can actually come shopping with your investment fund and decide where you want to invest.
"Our growth plan has identified transport as the big unlocker for investable propositions. Bringing buses back into public control is an unlocking of opportunity.
"The first tranche of buses coming into the franchise network is by 2027 and the full network by 2028. Last week we launched a network that brings in tram, bus rail and EV bike and then there will be spades in the ground on mass transit by 2028.
"The Prime Minister came to Huddersfield a few weeks ago to talk about his support for the tram network. The Government understands that if you want growth, transport is the answer. Everything is aligned to deliver this really ambitious plan around Elland Road,'' said Mr Brabin.
Ms Brabin said a decision about the preferred route of the tram was expected in the autumn, adding: "The public are telling us they want that tram to go to Elland Road and make that connectivity from the city.
She continued: "It's not just about connecting Elland Road but the British Library North and Holbeck and White Rose by tram."
"There will be spades in the ground by 2028 so the work will be underway, it's not a quick process to build a tram but we're looking at getting it completed by 2032. After we've connected the tram, we will be building the branches off it.
"This is not just about Leeds to Bradford or Leeds to Dewsbury - this is about the whole of West Yorkshire benefiting. It's a regional project with national significance."
At an event with the title This is Leeds: From Terrace to Town, which was held in the West Yorkshire Pavilion at UKREiiF, Morrie Eisenberg, the chief operating officer of Leeds United, said the club planned to build a bigger and better Elland Road, while retaining the historic ground’s character.
Councillor James Lewis, the leader of Leeds City Council, said UKREiiF provided a “fantastic platform” to showcase the dynamic growth and exciting future of Leeds and the wider region.
Other participants in the event included Nat Edwards of the Royal Armouries, Jamie Andrews from the British Library, Elissa Newman of Holbeck Together and Ed Whiting, the Leeds City Council chief executive.