Leeds City Council and the Metro passenger transport authority require a Transport & Works Act Order (TWAO) to build and operate the system, which will be the first of its kind in the UK. The Secretary of State will decide whether to order a public inquiry, which is expected to happen next spring.
One of the UK’s largest single investments in transport infrastructure outside of London,
The New Generation Transport (NGT) scheme is a 14.8km trolleybus network that runs between the northern and southern edges of the city through the city centre. It is forecast to carry 11 million passengers in its first year.
The buses are powered by overhead cables. The network combines dedicated lanes with junction/traffic signal priority. More than two thirds of the first route will be segregated.
Cllr Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for development and the economy, said: “NGT is essential for Leeds and the city region’s future economic growth. The application for a TWAO is the next stage in delivering this important scheme.
“The case for NGT and the benefits it will bring have been extensively tested and interrogated by leading transport and engineering consultants, Department for Transport advisors and independent experts. I am therefore confident that the business case will more than stand up to inspection.”
Metro chairman Cllr James Lewis said: “We know from extensive consultation and recent drop-in events held in Leeds city centre that the general public has responded positively towards NGT when they have heard the facts about reduced journey times, greater reliability and the economic benefits it will bring.”
He added: “Experience from other highly successful transport schemes of this scale is that they inevitably attract significant numbers of objections. We will work hard to resolve issues wherever it is practicable to do so but we are convinced that the benefits NGT will bring to Leeds and West Yorkshire will outweigh objections to the scheme.”
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