More than 80% of people across Leeds think the current traffic situation is 'terrible', according to a LeedsLive survey.
In a survey of 462 people, 85.9% of people said the traffic situation in Leeds was terrible, the worst possible rating on the survey. A further 9.7% rated it as poor while only 2.2% said it was okay.
A tiny 1.3% of people rated the traffic situation in Leeds as good.
Of particular concern to many are the roadworks in the city centre. Many of these are being conducted as part of plans to completely close City Square to general traffic in February 2023.
As a result, 64.1% of respondents said the roadworks had caused significant delays in their travels around the city with a further 28.4% of people saying they were now avoiding travel around Leeds to try to get around the traffic issues.
Another major issue for many who travel the city in cars is the lack of car parking. Incidents around car parks have led to some people being trapped inside them for hours as traffic backed up.
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When asked if residents wanted more parking, cycle lanes, bus lanes or to leave it as it is, 69.4% of people voted for additional parking. This supports other results with 52.6% of people ranking parking as terrible in the city centre.
However, the majority of the issues do seem to stem from the roadworks as when people were asked if they wanted fewer roadworks, cheaper parking, better public transport, free weekend parking or free evening parking, 52.6% voted for less roadworks. In second place came better public transport with 22.7% followed by cheaper parking with 13.8%.
When asked about the traffic issues, Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “It’s fantastic to see such high footfall in the city once again as we approach the festive season, and we don’t want traffic congestion to dampen anyone’s spirits.
“If you’re planning to travel to the city centre this weekend I would encourage you to use alternative methods of transport such as the Park and Ride service, buses or cycling or walking.
“The Park and Ride service is a great alternative to driving into the city. If you feel you really must drive into the city centre, please plan your journey in advance, allow extra time, and consider travelling outside of peak hours.”
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