St James’s Hospital route upgrade plans

A multi-million pound highway upgrade is aiming to boost road safety and cut journey times to St James's Hospital.

Transcript

00:00Do you recognise this part of Leeds?

00:02A green light has been given for the Becket Street Sustainable Transport Corridor project

00:08following a public consultation last autumn.

00:12A Leeds City Council report said traffic congestion and poor road infrastructure

00:17on Bermontough Street and Becket Street can see long bus journey times

00:22and difficulties cycling to St James' University Hospital.

00:26Recognising the 24-7 nature of the site with a constant travel demand

00:31they're planning to spend around £21 million installing a bus lane, cycle track, wider footpaths and crossings.

00:40It said the hospital is a strategic regional medical facility and a major employment, education and research site

00:48and they're hoping the project will reduce accidents on the stretch of road

00:52which saw 67 casualties including 13 serious injuries and one fatality between 2017 and 2023.

01:01Parts of the road will be widened and the new bus lane will operate 24 hours a day.

01:07The council is also seeking to introduce traffic restrictions as part of the scheme.

01:13Southbound right turns into Ryder Street and northbound right turns into Accommodation Road would be banned

01:19and a report said a full business case was submitted to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in March

01:25and was expected to be approved in June.

01:27The report said the predicted benefits to travellers will be improved bus journey times and reliability,

01:33safer cycling routes and improved safety at signalised junctions.

01:38The council will now tender for a contractor to carry out the works

01:41and has applied for funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

01:44The council will now tender for a contractor to carry out the property.