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