Kirkgate, New York Street and York Street

New York Street and York Street are busy streets on the edge of the city centre core, with a range of independent retailers and a growing food and drink offering. Kirkgate Market, which hosts hundreds of small traders in its large indoor and outdoor spaces, is located on the edge of this area. York Street provides pedestrian access to Leeds Bus Station. Kirkgate, one of the oldest streets in the city, has been neglected in recent years but is now undergoing major regeneration work to renovate its heritage buildings and restore the First White Cloth Hall. The street is developing into a lively area for independent businesses.

New York Street, Kirkgate and York Street form a key corridor for eastbound and westbound bus movements which run across Leeds and serve nearby towns. These streets are also well-used by pedestrians as they link the city centre core to the bus station, the market and residential areas on the east side of the city.

The plans and information below explain our current proposals for this part of the scheme area. These proposals are not fixed and the scheme details may be altered in response to further analysis and feedback. To download a high-resolution version of the plans, scroll down to the bottom of the page (see additional material).

Current issues

• Eastbound buses face delays on New York Street and York Street due to the volume of eastbound general traffic.
• Loading activity on New York Street delays eastbound bus movements.
• Cars turning right into the NCP car park conflict with westbound buses on York Street.
• The straight-ahead movement from the NCP car park to Harper Street allows traffic to route past the Corn Exchange where it conflicts with key bus routes.
• The westbound bus stop near Mecca Bingo is over capacity with large numbers of passengers and services.
• The pedestrian crossings over York Street at Cross York Street is indirect and inconvenient.
• The pedestrian crossing over York Street is not on the pedestrian desire line from the Bus Station to Church Lane.
• The current condition of the highway on Kirkgate will not support the regeneration of the street and the investment in the First White Cloth Hall.
• Footways are very narrow in places, which leads to overcrowding and makes walking less convenient.
• The bus shelters are outdated and erode the quality of the streetscape.
• There is limited greenery throughout the area.

Opportunities and proposals

• Creation of a westbound bus gate on York Street at Duke Street in operation 7am–10am and 4pm–7pm.
• Creation of a westbound bus gate on Kirkgate at New York Street in operation 7am-4pm.
• Replacement of all bus shelters with a higher standard of shelter with improved seating and enhanced real-time information
• The westbound bus stop at Church Lane will be divided into two separate stops.
• Narrowing of the carriageway to one lane in each direction on York Street and the eastern end of New York Street to allow for footway widening.
• Provision of straight-over pedestrian crossing over New York Street near the NCP Car Park with complementary footway widening to reduce crossing distances.
• Relocation of existing pedestrian crossing to meet pedestrian desire line at the Bus Station.
• The left turns from Cross York Street to New York Street is prohibited.
• A new blue badge parking area is created on Cross York Street.
• Provision of new greenery and removal of street clutter (such as guard railing).
• The right-turn from New York Street is removed for motor traffic but retained for cycle users.
• Access to NCP car park retained via Cross York Street. Egress from the NCP Car Park is by left-turn to New York Street only.
• Loading bays on New York Street consolidated to avoid conflict with passing vehicles and allow footway widening.
• Bus stop on Kirkgate to be relocated with various locations being explored (the plans show one possible option).

A bus gate is a signposted point of road which restricts all traffic except buses, taxis (hackney carriages) and pedal cycles during the signed operational hours.

For detailed information on the proposals to improve the bus station please visit yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/LeedsBusStation.

Benefits

• Footway widening on Kirkgate will support the regeneration of the street and the restoration and extension of the First White Cloth Hall.
• Footway widening on New York Street and York Street will improve the pedestrian environment.
• The bus gates will make westbound bus journeys quicker and more reliable and reduce traffic noise and air pollution in the area.
• The banning of turns at several junctions will speed up bus movements through the area.
• New bus shelters and improved information at bus stops will improve the bus waiting environment on York street.
• Wider footways and straight-over pedestrian crossings will make walking more convenient and quicker.
• Footway widening on Kirkgate and New York Street will improve the setting of bars and restaurants in the area and create more opportunities for street cafes.
• The reduction in the carriageway width on York Street will make crossing the road easier and safer and the relocation of the crossing at the bus station will make crossing more convenient.
• New greenery and the removal of street clutter will make the streetscape more attractive.

Impacts

• Fewer routes will be available to general traffic in the area due to the proposed bus gates, but adequate alternative routes will be provided for loading, servicing and access to private parking areas.
• The Kirkgate westbound bus gate has been timed to ensure that access to the blue badge parking on Central Road is maintained and vehicles can access the pedestrian zone on Upper Kirkgate for loading during the designated loading period.
• The existing hackney waiting area on York Street will be moved east.
• The existing pay-and-display parking on Kirkgate will be removed.
• The existing blue badge parking on Kirkgate will be relocated to Cross York Street and the scheme will deliver an overall net gain in blue badge parking.
• Access and exit arrangements for the NCP car park will be rationalised, but the scheme maintains convenient access and exit routes for users of the car park.
• The location of some loading facilities will change, but we will ensure that adequate loading facilities are provided to enable businesses to operate efficiently.
• Protected cycle infrastructure is not currently proposed due to the challenge of incorporating it alongside bus and pedestrian facilities, but cycle users will be able to use the bus gates and lane