By John Baron
A pilot scheme to tackle rat running and speeding traffic in two West Leeds neighbourhoods has this week moved a step closer to reality.
Council highways officers are looking to introduce permanent road closures to residential areas of Victoria Park in Bramley following a series of vehicle crashes and a campaign by local residents.
A second scheme in Lower Wortley aims to reduce vehicles rat-running between the A58 Whitehall Road and Lower Wortley Road/Oldfield Lane.
A council report said: “It is hoped the changes will mean a reduction in both car usage and air pollution, encouraging people to lead more active lifestyles by getting out and about on foot or by bike.”
It said the schemes would lead to ‘more people replacing some of their car journeys (notably short trips 2km or under) with walking, wheeling or cycling’.
The report -m which is currently out for consultation – authorised the council to move forward with the schemes in Spring or early Summer, with the aim of completion by the Autumn.
It also overruled four objections to the Victoria Park proposals from local residents and agreed to progress with the making of the traffic regulation orders, tendering the work and construction.
WLD has previously reported on traffic issues in the Victoria Park area. Local resident Paul Chatterton had been campaigning for action to make Victoria Park Avenue, at the junction with Lancastre Grove, safer following a number of collisions and near misses on the road.
The schemes – first developed in 2021 – were paused due to the end of anticipated government grant funding programme in 2022/23. Phase one of works also includes a scheme in Chapeltown.
The full report can be read in full here.
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