Park and ride plan set for approval

The facility would be operated by Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire passenger transport authority Metro using land next to Leeds United’s Elland Road ground.

It would have room for 800 cars, with buses running between the council-owned site and the city centre every 15 minutes through the week.

Members of the local authority’s city plans panel will consider the proposals at a meeting on Thursday.

A report compiled by council officers for the meeting recommends the panel approves an application for planning permission for the scheme, which has an estimated cost of £3m.

It also says it is hoped the facility will be ready for the city’s hosting of the opening stage of the Tour de France next July.

The report says: “Overall the proposal will result in less traffic commuting [to and from] the city centre and will result in an increase in car parking capacity in the city.”

The land earmarked for the project lies between Elland Road and the East Coast Main Line rail route to the west.

If the plans get the go-ahead then improvement work will be carried out on the surface of the site, currently used for matchday parking.

Bus stops, fencing and possibly CCTV equipment would also be installed.

The report put together for Thursday’s meeting also highlights local opposition to the plans, however.

It says councillors David Congreve and Angela Gabriel have voiced concern about the impact of increased traffic congestion and pollution for people living near the ground.

The scheme would run from Monday to Saturday, with no operation on Saturday matchdays at Elland Road.