Feedback on plans to improve safety and street design of A660 Otley Road, Headingley Lane and Woodhouse Lane

Connecting Leeds, Leeds City Council’s Highways and Transport team, is asking for people’s thoughts on proposed improvements to the A660. The £10.4million plans, funded by Active Travel England, focus on the A-road from Shaw Lane junction (home to restaurants Salvo’s and Heaney & Mill) up to St Mark’s Road in Woodhouse (near to the University of Leeds’ Parkinson Building). 

The A660 is a main road into and out of the city centre for motorised vehicles and people who walk, wheel or cycle, as well as a popular route for students living in the area accessing university and college campuses. It is one of the busiest cycle routes in Leeds with over 1,000 cyclists using it daily, however, it suffers from a high casualty rate with 172 casualties happening along this road during 2016-2021. 

The proposed highways treatments to A660 Otley Road, Headingley Lane and Woodhouse Lane follow on from works that are currently being delivered to A660 Otley Road from Lawnswood roundabout to Shaw Lane junction.  This was previously consulted on in March 2022 and is also funded by Active Travel England. 

The current consultation focuses on: 

• A reduction of speed from 30mph to 20mph along the A660 Otley Road between Shaw Lane and St Michael’s Road. 
• Safety improvements where the A660 meets North Lane, Victoria Road, Hyde Park Road (Hyde Park Corner), Clarendon Road and St Mark’s Road junctions. 
• Continuous crossings along the A660 with other junctions, to give pedestrians and cyclists priority. 
• A diagonal crossing facility at North Lane junction, Leeds’ second diagonal crossing. 
• 2-metre wide segregated cycle lanes both inbound and outbound along most of the route. 
• Widened footways along the route 
• Improved bus stops and shelters, including relocating some stops 
• Merging infrequently used bus shelters. 
• Closure of St Michael’s Road and Regent Park Avenue to motorised vehicles to prevent rat-running. 
• Improved landscaping and spaces along the route, including a more pleasant environment around the War Memorial on St Michael’s Road.

Councillor Helen Hayden, Executive Member for Infrastructure and Climate, said: 

“The A660 is a key commuter route into Leeds City Centre. These plans will provide safer, alternative travel options for residents while aiming to reduce casualty numbers and achieve the Leeds Safe Roads Vision Zero 2040 Strategy goal of eliminating road deaths and serious injury on Leeds’ roads by 2040.  

The plans are also aimed at helping the council achieve its transport strategy targets of increasing cycling by 400%, walking by 33% and reducing car usage by 30% to meet our pledge of becoming a carbon neutral city by 2030. I urge everyone to have their say on the plans.” 

Have your say 

Residents and businesses are being consulted on the proposals until Sunday 5 March 2023. Have your say online by  visiting this link or attending one of our drop-in events: 

• Thursday 16 February 2023, 3-7pm, St Chad's Parish Centre, Otley Road, LS16 5JT. 
• Tuesday 21 February 2023, 3-7pm, HEART Centre, Bennett Road, LS6 3HN. 
• Saturday 25 February 2023, 1.30-4.30pm, St Augustine's Wrangthorn Church, Hyde Park Terrace, LS6 1BJ. 
• Tuesday 28 February 2023, 10am-3:30pm, Room 6, Leeds University Union, Lifton Place, LS2 9JZ. 

Notes to Editors 

Wheeling incorporates many methods for getting around, including using wheelchairs, mobility scooters, walking aids and traveling with a pram or pushchair. 

A casualty is a person killed or injured in a collision. 
 
A continuous crossing (Copenhagen crossing) extends the pavement across the carriageway, making crossing the road easier. They are designed to slow down vehicles when entering or exiting side roads and encourage vehicles to give way to people walking, wheeling and cycling.