Leeds Tram-Train system to be discussed at special meeting

A Tram-Train system for Leeds will be discussed at a special meeting today, this comes after the government rejected a trolley bus scheme earlier this month.

The All Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group, chaired by Leeds MP Greg Mulholland, will host a special meeting of the Group in the city to discuss the way forward for a TramTrain system.

Ministers have since confirmed that Leeds can keep the £173 million that had been allocated for the trolley bus scheme, and instead use the funds for alternative solutions to Leeds's transport issues.

The Parliamentary Light Rail Group has come out in support of proposals for a Leeds City Region Tram-Train network, as supported by Leeds City Council leaders and promoted by Metro between Supertram and the NGT bid.

A presentation, made to the Light Rail Group in 2009 put forward for Tram-Train network starting with the conversion of the Leeds-Harrogate-York line.

This would also allow for the short Tram-Train link to Leeds Bradford International Airport branching off the Leeds-Harrogate-York railway line with street running from the Kirkstall Viaduct to City Square.

This would be the first line of a new Tram-Train network that could then be developed in phases, to connect with Pontefract, Castleford and Wakefield and to Bradford via Shipley utilising existing heavy railway lines.