First tram routes revealed in West Yorkshire transport plan

Three potential routes for West Yorkshire's long-awaited mass transit system have been unveiled.

The scheme, which would see trams run between towns and cities in the region, has been promised by West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin.

The first line, announced on Monday, would run between Leeds and Bradford, while the second would link the centre of Leeds with the White Rose Shopping Centre and St James' Hospital.

Although the options for the Bradford line do not include exact details of which routes or roads the tramway would be introduced, one option would see trams travel out of the city centre and head Eastwards roughly along the same route as Leeds Road.

This route would pass close to Laisterdyke and Thornbury before heading through Stanningley, Bramley and Armley before arriving in Leeds city centre.

The second possible route would go further South East before heading East close to Bowling Back Lane. This route would also come close to Laisterdyke before stretching to Pudsey, then moving North East towards Bramley – then following the same route into Leeds as the first option.

The third option runs the same route as the second until it gets near Bramley – where it would travel South East to pass Armley and Wortley before arriving in the city centre.

Several options for how and where these lines will run exactly have been put forward and will now go out to public consultation.

At a press conference on Monday morning, Ms Brabin said: "Football may not be coming home, but mass transit is."

She said: "I'm committed to growing our economy and putting more money into people’s pockets - but to do so we need a transport network that is fit for purpose."

The mayor has promised to have spades in the ground on the scheme by 2028, following decades of failed schemes for Leeds and the surrounding area.

Although the mass transit plans have been in the works for several years, the launch was the first time it had been officially confirmed that it would be made up of a new tram system.

Ms Brabin said there were also plans for a Dewsbury line, but that would follow at a later stage.

No proposed tram stops have been announced yet.

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