Leeds drivers shun £2.8m Elland Road park-and-ride site

An average of just 28 cars per day used the 800-space site during its first week of operation in June.

And even in the week commencing July 14 – the most recent for which details are available – the daily average usage was 94 cars, meaning it was operating at only 12 per cent of its capacity.

The facility was used by an average of 209 cars per day in the week starting June 30, although that figure is skewed as Saturday, July 5, saw all 800 spaces filled as crowds flocked to the Tour de France Grand Depart.

Leeds City Council today said it expected the £2.8m site to attract more motorists after the new school year starts in September.

The council’s executive member for transport and the economy, Coun Richard Lewis, said: “Many people used the park-and-ride during the Tour de France weekend, but we expect the facility to be less well used during the summer holidays.

“It’s still early days for this scheme which is the first of its type in West Yorkshire and will inevitably take time to bed in. This is a long-term project and we will continue to monitor its use and customer feedback very closely.

“In September with further promotion we expect more people to see how much easier this facility can make their commute.”

The Elland Road park-and-ride scheme is a collaboration between the council, bus firm First and the recently-formed West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Shuttle buses normally run between the site and the city centre every 10 minutes from 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday. Regular return fares are priced from £2.70.

The scheme is designed to ease congestion in the traffic-choked middle of Leeds.

It will be out of action this Saturday as Leeds United are playing a friendly at home to Dundee United.