Minutes of a meeting held on Wednesday 23rd July 2014 at 8.15 pm inRawdon Community Library
PresentCllr Shemilt
Cllr Barber
Cllr Collins
Cllr Gomersall
Cllr Hunt
Cllr Ingham
Cllr Lacey
Cllr Warrior
FC/2014/44Public Participation
Cllr Collins summarised the situation for the members of the public present. Questions were asked about consideration of rail options, the airport’s view of the situation and the potential for ribbon development.
FC/2014/45Apologies for absence
It was resolved to note apologies and accept the reasons for absence from Cllr Davies.
FC/2014/46Declarations of Interests
NIL
FC/2014/47A65/A658 Link Road
Members reviewed the draft letter (attached) and it was unanimously resolved to send the letter to the Secretary of State for Transport and other transport ministers; LCC Cllrs with responsibility for regeneration, transport and scrutiny; Stuart Andrew MP; the parishes along the route and Andrew Hall LCC Highways Officer.
The RtHon Patrick McLoughlin MP
Secretary of State for Transport
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
24th July 2014
Dear Mr McLaughlin
I write on behalf of Rawdon Parish Council concerning the current work being undertaken looking at connectivity to Leeds Bradford Airport and the separate piece of work being undertaken by Leeds City Council considering the feasibility of a road linking the A65 & the A658.
Rawdon Parish Council is situated adjacent to the airport and was democratically elected to represent the interests of Rawdon residents following a community governance review in 2012 which established the parish council in the area.
The Parish Council has asked me to bring the following concerns to your attention:-
Connectivity Study
- If the Parish Council did not have an elected member who is also an elected member of Leeds City Council the Parish Council would not have been aware of the connectivity study.
- The Stakeholder Reference Group specified in the brief (para 3.5) for the connectivity study is too narrowly drawn. It is our understanding that it consists of no elected members from either the City Council or surrounding parish councils. The residents’ representatives are the LBIA Air Transport Forum who are not representative of the community surrounding the Airport and have no democratic mandate to speak on behalf of local residents.
- Discussions with LCC Officers indicate that the connectivity study is being carried out by external consultants. We understand that this work will be completed before Christmas and that no public consultation is intended in this period.
- Whilst the Parish Council is aware of congestion in the Rawdon area and is pleased to note that the connectivity study is looking at bus, rail and road options we are unsure what evidence the study is gathering and what traffic data is being analysed. The evidence and data should be shared with the Parish Council and is of use to it in the formulation of the current neighbourhood plan.
- What would be the best way to spend money to improve surface access to the airport?
Unlike other Major Airports - such as Stansted, Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester etc. Leeds Bradford Airport has no Heavy Rail connection or connection to other mass transit systems. Leeds itself has no Mass transit network and is not likely to get one. Even if 'Next Generation Transport' happens it will only be on ONE route and no useful connection will result. The only way to access rail and thereby the rest of Yorkshire is by road (usually taxi) from the airport. This leaves Leeds poorly served and makes Manchester a more attractive option for many travellers who can access it directly by rail.
The Parish Council believes that the best and most cost effective method of improving surface access to Leeds Bradford Airport is Heavy Rail however it is being denied its right to represent its community and their views due to the lack of involvement in the consultation process.
A65 - A658 Link Road Feasibility Study
- Environmental Impact
As a City Leeds has failed to meet its air quality targets and is not forecast to do so any time soon, making roads the least desirable option.
The road is proposed exclusively across open green land - the direct loss of which would be catastrophic to the semi-rural nature of the area.The Parish Council is concerned that the only route currently being considered would create a scar through the greenbelt which is a significant characteristic in the local environment.
- Impact on Community Distinctiveness
The road would effectively remove the green boundary between Horsforth and Rawdon - any consequential development - whether industrial or residential - would destroy the Community Distinctiveness of the adjacent communities. This would be contrary to the aims of the NPPF to preserve community distinctiveness. The Parish Council has gathered evidence as part of its neighbourhood plan process that the community identity is significant to Rawdon residents.
- The Parish Council is unconvinced that a road connecting the A65 and the A658 will alleviate the congestion issues in the area and have not seen any evidence of a significant congestion issue around the airport. The Parish Council questions the need for the link road and considers that the expenditure needed to deliver it could be better focussed in other areas. Furthermore the Parish Council queries the following purposes for it:-
a)Surface access to the Airport
The airport themselves say they can expand to twice the current number of passengers without improvements to road based surface access. They will not offer funding for the road on the basis that there is no commercial justification.
b)General congestion relief on Harrogate Road
There is no doubt that there is congestion on Harrogate Road. What is unclear to the Parish Council is how much of that relates to the Airport? The proposed link road can only provide relief from traffic accessing Harrogate road from the A65 south of Harrogate Road.No relief would be offered to traffic accessing from Guiseley or from Apperley Lane
Very little of the traffic using Harrogate Road does so to access the Airport - certainly under 10% of the total. Even assuming 10% - at least two thirds of this is not accessing Harrogate road from the A65 - so the relief would only represent 3.3% of traffic on Harrogate Road.
c)Relief of airport traffic on Scotland Lane and Bayton Lane
The bulk of traffic using Scotland Lane to access and egress the airport is either local or taxis. The taxi traffic is the most problematic and the largest generated by the airport.Taxi journeys to Leeds to access the railway station would not be reduced by the proposed road as Scotland Lane would still offer a more convenient rat run.
Taxis currently offer the most attractive and efficient means of accessing the rail network from the airport.
The alternative of closing Scotland Lane would impose a considerable inconvenience on local residents.
Whilst theproposed road may offer some relief to Bayton Lane it would increase traffic on Brownberrie Lane and Layton Road instead.
- Our neighbours in Pool share our significant concerns about HGV traffic passing through our parishes and a link between the A65 and the A658 would provide a faster route from the M621 to the A1 bypassing the current bottleneck. The likely consequence of this would be increased heavy Goods Traffic and other using the option instead of progressing round the Leeds Ring Road to the M1.
The surrounding road network - even with planned improvements to Horsforth Roundabout - is not equipped to cope with this.
The route from the A660 via Pool and Huby is especially not equipped to cope with any such increase and the A65 is not equipped to cope with any additional vehicle movements.
- Again without a dual hatted member the parish would be totally unaware of the study as no notification has been received and no opportunity to comment or be involved in the consultation has been afforded to residents and it appears will not be offered.
It appears to the Parish Council that Leeds City Council is focussing on the A65-A658 link road in isolation without a city wide integrated strategy to underpin its decision making. We seek assurances that all options including rail and bus are considered in details as part of the study.
The Parish Council feels that the approach to both pieces of work is flawed, undemocratic and flies in the face of all the principles of localism. Whilst the Parish Council appreciates that transport planning is a strategic matter and the impact of these studies, if any action results, will affect a much wider area than the Parish it does believe that its total exclusion from the process is unreasonable and unwarranted.
The Parish Council asks that you consider the implications of the concerns it raises and asks that you discuss these with officials in your Department and Leeds City Council.
Yours sincerely
Lis Moore
Parish Clerk & Proper Officer
Cc The RtHon John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Transport; Baroness Kramer , Minister of State for Transport; Robert Goodwill MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport; Claire Perry MP,Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport; Stuart Andrew MP for Pudsey; Cllr Keith Wakefield, LCC; Cllr Richard Lewis, LCC; Cllr John Proctor, LCC; Andrew Hall, LCC; Pool Parish Council; Bramhope & Carlton Parish Council; Horsforth Town Council; Huby Parish Council; Lower Washburn Parish Council.
Signed……………………………………………………………..Date…………………………………………………………………………..
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