From Monday 19 December, people using the popular Elland Road Park and Ride will be able to take advantage of the new passenger facility.
As well as a new, heated waiting area the 132m2 building has passenger toilets, baby-changing facilities, ticket machines and real-time information.
Constructed using materials from sustainable sources and externally clad with Perspex-backed brushed aluminium, the building has been designed to exceed the latest Approved Documents Building Regulations for thermal efficiency. It has been manufactured by Yorkshire-based Module AR who made all the elements offsite and then craned it into position in a single day.
Benefit
West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Chair Cllr Keith Wakefield said: “The opening of this new passenger facility, ahead of schedule is just the latest benefit for people using the Elland Road Park and Ride to save themselves the cost and hassle of parking in Leeds city centre.
“Feedback tells us it is used from people travelling to Leeds from along the M62 corridor, from Huddersfield and Halifax with some from as far afield as Manchester.
“Only in October we opened an extension to the parking area, meaning there are now 800 spaces, taking the total of Park and Ride spaces in West Yorkshire to over 3,500 including rail stations. This month has seen special Sunday services, thanks to a partnership with Leeds BID.
Sustainability
“The new modular passenger facility is an impressive and smart building and manufacturing offsite has resulted in a range of benefits including quicker production times, assured quality, greater sustainability and reduced waste of materials.
“The opening of the new building on Monday will be a nice early Christmas present for Elland Road passengers, and the culmination of a 12-month period in which we opened new rail stations, at Apperley Bridge and Kirkstall Forge, and the award-winning Leeds Station Southern Entrance, which is being used by around 20,000 people per day.
“And we have plenty more in the pipeline over the coming 12 months, including the new Low Moor Rail station between Bradford and Halifax, Wakefield Eastern Relief Road and the ongoing roll-out of the innovative MCard scheme.”
Investment
Leeds City Council Leader, Cllr Judith Blake said: “This new investment in the Elland Road Park and Ride to further enhance the passenger experience will hopefully encourage more people to use the service, helping to ease congestion into the city centre and improving air quality.
“Over 700 cars are now parked at the Elland Road facility on most weekdays, and that success coupled with the strong feedback in our recent transport conversation survey shows the demand for more park and ride sites across the city is clearly there.
“As by far the most popular method of public transport used in Leeds and across the Leeds City Region, bus services are central to our future transport strategy. People have told us they want to see improved services, infrastructure and capacity and working with the operators and other partners, that’s what we are determined to deliver as quickly as we can as part of a transformed public transport network.”
Congestion
Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for regeneration, transport and planning, said: “Elland Road Park and Ride is removing thousands of car journeys from city centre roads reducing the cost of congestion to our economy and helping to reduce the air pollution that congestion causes.
“Work is already underway on the 1,000-space Park and Ride at Temple Green to the east of Leeds, just a couple of minutes from Junction 45 of the M1, and we have plans for other sites in Stourton and north Leeds, which will bring thousands of additional park and ride spaces to the network.”
Fantastic
Will Pearson, Business Manager at First Leeds, said: “It’s fantastic to see further investment being added to the thriving Elland Road Park & Ride site, as it’s a clear indication that the partnership is committed to making the Park and Ride concept in Leeds a success. Customers and staff will now benefit from a smart and modern Park and Ride environment, which will subsequently be used as a best practice site for future schemes in the region.”
Original link - Westyorks
