inalisation of a deal to secure £173.5m of funding for transport in Leeds is planned to see major changes to buses, with a very ambitious target to double passenger numbers over the next 10 years
First West Yorkshire remains committed to £71m of fleet investment
Public transport in Leeds received a major shot in the arm last week when it was confirmed that the DfT has expressed its support for a £173.5m funding package for a number of integrated transport improvements in the city, with buses at the forefront.
The money was tentatively secured following the decision a year ago to scrap the proposed New Generation Transport (NGT) trolleybus scheme.
£173.5m had been set aside for NGT, and since then the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has been working with the DfT on the terms of its transfer.
Buses at the front
But what does it mean for buses in Leeds? Lots, because additional support from WYCA and other stakeholders is expected to take the total available to in excess of £270m.
Significantly, the city’s largest operator, First West Yorkshire (FWY), has confirmed that it remains committed to its pledge to invest £71m in what it describes as “at least 284 ultra-low emission buses” by the end of 2020.
FWY’s figures indicate a spend of around £250,000 per bus, suggesting that they will not be conventional diesels.
The operator protested strongly against NGT, to the extent of sourcing a New Routemaster that was used as an example of what could be offered at much lower cost.
FWY’s argument was that the money then earmarked for trolleybuses would be better spent on conventional buses and infrastructure improvements, and that was vindicated when NGT was thrown out.
At the time, FWY also stated that development of hybrid buses into full electric power was possible later in their lives, and it described NGT as “outdated 100-year old trolleybus technology.”
On last week’s announcement, FWY Managing Director Paul Matthews says: “This is the first major step towards transforming Leeds’ transport network and I am proud that FWY is a pivotal part of it.
“It’s hugely important that we continue to work in partnership with Leeds City Council (LCC) and WYCA so that we can tackle the issue of congestion, thereby improving the reliability of services and encouraging more people to travel by bus.”