YorksLad12
Established Member
Now bear with me, I know this is a bit of a stretch. It does make some sense, in that the use of tram-train at Leeds to relive platform pressure is already on the agenda. Leeds Council is already looking at pedestrianizing the City Square area, which would be the obvious place for any tram-train terminus (it being on the other side of the Queens Hotel from Leeds Station).
From Ilkley, use the existing formation as far as Guiseley. Rise up from there to meet the A65, and pretty much follow that route all the way in to Leeds. Add a stop at Yeadon, Rawdon and South Horsforth. There’s the potential to branch off to the Airport at Green Lane (so much better than the proposed heavy rail station north of Horsforth on the Harrogate Line). Or, if you assume all the airport traffic is coming from Leeds, do it at the junction with Harrogate Road/Micklefield Road in one direction.
Divert off the A65 at Kirkstall Forge. There was a plan to divert bus services through the site once it had developed further; I’m sure the developer would contribute something to make this happen. Another stop at Kirkstall Bridge, possibly Leeds Wellington (or Whitehall, or Central – for the Government Hub) and you’re done.
On the Bradford leg, continue south as far as Baildon, stay on the level and turn off on to Otley Road. Run in to Shipley, with a stop on Station Road. Back on to Otley Road, then straight down the A650 (Bradford Road, Keighley Road, Manningham Lane) via a new stop in Manningham, then Manor Row to Forster Square.
If a tram line is set up from Leeds to Bradford-near-the-Interchange (say, Drake Street) to remove stopping services and help speed up that routes as I suggested in a different thread, then the two ends could be connected at Bradford.
Advantages: frees two heavy rail paths at Leeds and Bradford. This would facilitate a third tph between Leeds and Skipton, or allow for two-hourly Leeds-Skipton-Settle/Lancaster services as the third Leeds-Skipton service. It also keeps the two overhead systems separate, solves the Airport issue and adds in additional stops that might help reduce congestion, especially on the A65.
Disadvantages: let’s be honest, if you just want to free up platforms at Leeds it’s a heck of a lot cheaper to just come off the main line on the level at Armley Road!!
From Ilkley, use the existing formation as far as Guiseley. Rise up from there to meet the A65, and pretty much follow that route all the way in to Leeds. Add a stop at Yeadon, Rawdon and South Horsforth. There’s the potential to branch off to the Airport at Green Lane (so much better than the proposed heavy rail station north of Horsforth on the Harrogate Line). Or, if you assume all the airport traffic is coming from Leeds, do it at the junction with Harrogate Road/Micklefield Road in one direction.
Divert off the A65 at Kirkstall Forge. There was a plan to divert bus services through the site once it had developed further; I’m sure the developer would contribute something to make this happen. Another stop at Kirkstall Bridge, possibly Leeds Wellington (or Whitehall, or Central – for the Government Hub) and you’re done.
On the Bradford leg, continue south as far as Baildon, stay on the level and turn off on to Otley Road. Run in to Shipley, with a stop on Station Road. Back on to Otley Road, then straight down the A650 (Bradford Road, Keighley Road, Manningham Lane) via a new stop in Manningham, then Manor Row to Forster Square.
If a tram line is set up from Leeds to Bradford-near-the-Interchange (say, Drake Street) to remove stopping services and help speed up that routes as I suggested in a different thread, then the two ends could be connected at Bradford.
Advantages: frees two heavy rail paths at Leeds and Bradford. This would facilitate a third tph between Leeds and Skipton, or allow for two-hourly Leeds-Skipton-Settle/Lancaster services as the third Leeds-Skipton service. It also keeps the two overhead systems separate, solves the Airport issue and adds in additional stops that might help reduce congestion, especially on the A65.
Disadvantages: let’s be honest, if you just want to free up platforms at Leeds it’s a heck of a lot cheaper to just come off the main line on the level at Armley Road!!