Wheels in motion for trolleybus scheme as city to submit final bid

At a meeting of Leeds City Council’s executive board, members agreed the details of the final bid for the proposed Leeds NGT trolleybus network could be submitted to the Department of Transport.

Leeds City Council has been working in partnership with Metro to develop the trolleybus system after a bid for funding for the scheme was knocked back by the Government in October, with the council and Metro being told to explore ways to reduce costs.

Coun Richard Lewis, executive member responsible for development, said: “After the proposal was stalled last year as part of the Government’s comprehensive spending review, we now have to submit our bid to hopefully get the scheme moving forward again.

“It is so important we get this bid to the Government sooner rather than later to prevent costs going up even more.

“I think the people of Leeds have waited long enough to get this scheme off the ground so we will continue our work to press the Government on the urgent need to deliver this scheme.”

Following yesterday’s decision the Leeds NGT bid will now be submitted in the summer.

The revised scheme comprises a North route from Holt Park to the city centre and a South route serving Hunslet and Stourton, with park and ride sites at Stourton and Bodington.

The initial proposals for the NGT trolleybus scheme consisted of three routes to North, South and East Leeds, including a loop round Leeds city centre.