Leeds City Council has opened a public consultation on proposals designed to improve walking, wheeling and cycling routes to schools in parts of Middleton and Halton Moor. The plans focus on streets around local schools where congestion and safety issues are most acute.
The council says the measures are intended to make access to schools and nearby amenities safer and easier, particularly for those travelling on foot, using mobility aids, or cycling. Improving walking, wheeling and cycling routes to schools is presented as a central objective of the scheme.
Elements Primary School in Middleton and Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School and College in Halton Moor are both busy sites. Most pupils live within a ten minute walk, yet car use for school journeys is higher than the Leeds average. This imbalance has contributed to traffic pressures at peak times.
Around the schools, issues include heavy congestion, vehicles parked on pavements during drop off and pick up, narrow footways, and limited safe crossing points. These conditions can discourage walking, wheeling and cycling, even for short journeys. The proposed changes are intended to address these barriers directly.
Six schools across Middleton and Halton Moor are included in the programme. They are Elements Primary School, Cockburn Laurence Calvert Academy, Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School and College, Corpus Christi Catholic College, Temple Learning Academy, and Meadowfield Primary School.
The council is asking pupils, parents, staff, local residents and others who travel through the area to comment on the proposals. Suggested measures include wider pavements and paths, changes to some junction layouts, new formal and informal crossings, bollards to protect pavements and support existing parking restrictions, and improved street lighting. Each element is aimed at strengthening walking, wheeling and cycling routes to schools.
According to the council, the proposals form part of its wider programme to improve road safety and encourage active travel. The scheme also aligns with Vision Zero, the long term ambition to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries in Leeds by 2040.
Funding of £750,000 has been awarded from Active Travel England’s Active Travel Fund 5 to support development and delivery. The work is being delivered in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, said:
“The Access to Schools project is a vital step toward creating safer, easier ways for people to choose active travel to and from school.
“Investments like this help toward our Vision Zero Strategy of eliminating serious injury and deaths on Leeds roads by 2040 by creating safer walking and cycling links in key areas of the city and improving road safety for everyone.
“We urge everyone who uses this route—whether you walk, cycle, drive, or take the bus—to share your views and help shape the future of this area.”
Councillor Peter Carlill, Deputy chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee, said:
“I want as many people as possible to have their say, so we can make it easier for people in Middleton and Halton Moor to get around.
“These links will improve walking, wheeling and cycling routes to schools, giving pupils the option to choose safer and more sustainable ways to travel.
“This will be a part of Weaver network, and is vital for creating a better-connected, greener and healthier West Yorkshire.”
The consultation is open until 11.59pm on Wednesday 18 February. Residents can complete a short survey online, attend a drop in event to view proposals and speak with council staff, or request a paper survey by email or phone.
