More detail of new tram line linking Bradford and Leeds

The long-planned public transport system will link all the major destinations in West Yorkshire – with a Bradford to Leeds line being among the first phase of the work.

A new report into the plans has now been published and reveals that the first two lines being built will be the Bradford Line and the Leeds Line.

This phase of the work is expected to cost around £2 billion, and work is due to start in 2028.

But a planned Bradford to Dewsbury line will no longer be a part of phase one, after a consultation found “low passenger demand” for this route.

The Bradford Line will operate from St James’s University Hospital in Leeds to Bradford Forster Square via Leeds city centre and a new railway station south of Bradford city centre.

Other stops on the route will go out to consultation this Summer.

The Leeds Line will operate between St James’s University Hospital and White Rose via Leeds city centre and Elland Road.

The network has been in the planning stages for years, but the publication of today’s report is the first confirmation that the Bradford and Leeds line would take the form of a tram or light rail system.

The submission of West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s "strategic outline case" for the system to the Department for Transport is set to be approved by members of the Authority on March 14. The document will then be sent by the Mayor to the Government for approval.

Referring to the choice of tram, the report says: “For the three corridors under consideration in this Strategic Outline Case, light rail/tram is proposed as the leading and preferred technology option, bearing in mind that Department for Transport/His Majesty’s Treasury also require a lower cost option to be similarly appraised for all corridors.”

The report goes into further detail on the Bradford Line, saying: “Bradford Council’s plans to regenerate the southern gateway including a new train station will play a key part in shaping the Bradford line and will define the city’s future transport hub.

“The line will complement the parallel fast city-to-city electrified rail service. The siting of the station is yet to be determined but this will be a key factor in helping us frame the Bradford Line more precisely.”

An artist's impression of the Leeds leg of the mass transit system (Image: WYCA)

Referring to the £2 billion estimated cost, the report says: “There is currently a confidence that both corridors proposed in this outline case will provide cost-benefit ratios of around 1, i.e. they would deliver approximately £1 of benefit for each £1 spent.

“This cost-benefit ratio takes into account significant one-off upfront costs such as depot and initial rail vehicle fleet provision in addition to the cost of constructing the route.

“This level of benefits is entirely typical for public transport light rail projects at this stage in their development.

"There is more detailed modelling work to be undertaken with the new Regional Transport Model that we are developing and there are still a number of wider economic benefits and regeneration benefits to be considered as part of the economic analysis.”

On the Dewsbury link, the report says: “Initial transport modelling and analysis of the Bradford to Dewsbury corridor highlighted low passenger demand based on currently known forecast scenarios, which resulted in this corridor not being considered viable as a potential Phase 1 option.

“However, the need to close the connectivity gap between Bradford and Dewsbury is recognised and this corridor, along with other corridors which were sifted during the appraisal process will be revisited as part of subsequent Mass Transit corridor appraisals and are therefore still potential candidate corridors in the future Mass Transit network.

“The Mass Transit Vision is clear that to ensure that no part of West Yorkshire is left behind development work will continue with district partners on all potential transit corridors with possible second and third phases coming online after 2033.”

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said: “Today is a key milestone in our plan to create a better-connected region that works for all.

"By setting out our plans to submit to Government, we are taking a major step forward towards the biggest infrastructure project West Yorkshire has seen since the development of the motorways six decades ago.   

"This will be transformational for the North, helping our communities to thrive and our economy to flourish - benefitting generations to come with greater opportunity and prosperity.   

“We know that mass transit systems have successfully helped to regenerate areas right across the country by boosting connectivity, opportunity and prosperity – and we will work tirelessly to make sure that happens here in West Yorkshire.”