Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Providing an accessible, attractive and cleaner alternative to car journeys is at the heart of Leeds City Region’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) - a major new programme of transport infrastructure investment secured as part of the West Yorkshire devolution deal.

The programme will be funded through £317 million from the Department for Transport (DfT) plus local match funding of up to £140 million.  

In partnership with local authorities, the Combined Authority will deliver transformational infrastructure, which will dramatically improve people’s access to walking, cycling and public transport.

It is estimated TCF schemes will improve journeys by bus, rail, bike and on foot for up to 1.5 million people, take up to 12 million car trips per year off our roads and reduce CO2 emissions from car travel by up to 15,000 tonnes by 2036.  

Communities across Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York are set to benefit from the schemes, which include new or improved bus and rail stations, cycling and walking infrastructure, and new Park and Rides.

The programme will deliver:

• two new Park & Rides
• one new rail station
• four new foot and cycle bridges
• six new or improved bus stations and interchange hubs
• new high quality cycle routes along six corridors
• bus priority along six key bus routes to create more reliable and faster bus journey times
• 800 new cycle parking spaces
• seven improvements to Rail Station Gateways
• new Real Time Information and improved passenger experience across the network.  

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is working in partnership with local authority colleagues from Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Selby, Wakefield and York councils on the TCF programme.

It is estimated TCF will:

• improve journeys by bus, rail, bike and on foot for up to 1.5 million people
• take up to 12 million car trips per year off our roads by 2036
• make 33 million rail journeys easier by improvements to rail stations
• increase bus, rail, and walking and cycling trips by up to 6%, 4% and 7% respectively by 2036
• reduce CO2 emissions by up to 1.5% / 15,000 tonnes from car travel by 2036
• create more than 1,000 jobs and add up to £1 billion to the economy by 2036
• support connectivity to 650 housing sites and 220 employment sites

As part of the West Yorkshire devolution deal, the Combined Authority secured £317 million from the DfT’s TCF programme to deliver schemes in the low-cost scenario.

Since then, the Combined Authority has approved the use of future gain share funding, alongside other income streams, to deliver the high-cost scenario up to an additional £140 million.  

This additional funding will help us deliver more transport improvements, which will benefit communities across West Yorkshire. 

This work is more important than ever, not only as we look to address the health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also in helping us achieve our aim of becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038.

We need to reduce car trips by 21% and increase cycling trips by 2,000%, walking trips by 78%, bus strips by 39% and rail trips by 53% if we are to achieve our ambitious net zero targets in this time frame. 

The programme will connect people to economic and education opportunities through accessible, affordable, attractive and cleaner transport, boosting productivity and helping to create healthier and happier communities for the future.  

Through the programme and building on the significant progress already made, we are working in partnership to transform our town and city centres for walking and cycling, improve bus reliability and journey times, and investing in our region to prepare for HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail and the Transpennine Route Upgrade.

Communities across Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York are set to benefit from the schemes, which include new or improved bus and rail stations, cycling and walking infrastructure, and new Park and Rides.

The programme is focused on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities.  This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality.   

There are 22 packages of schemes, comprising 35 individual projects, within the overall programme.

Different schemes are at different stages, right through from the development of business cases and designs, to gearing up for public consultation, with Halifax Bus Station redevelopment due to start on site in spring 2021.  

Find out more information at westyorks-ca.gov.uk/TCF 

The schemes funded through the DfT need to be delivered by spring 2023, with schemes financed by local match funding being delivered beyond these timescales.

To date, there has been minimal impact of the programme as a result of COVID-19.  The majority of the projects are at the early stages of development and much of the work required can be carried out virtually.   As the schemes move to the next stage of delivery, we will continue to monitor the impact and identify any risks to delivery.  

We are also looking at best practice ways of delivering public consultations and engagement activity to ensure all members of the community get the opportunity to have their say on TCF schemes during COVID-19.  

The full implications of COVID-19 on the region, the economy and the transport system are still to be understood and the impact on the Combined Authority’s programmes and schemes to date has been mixed. 

We are working closely with our local authority partners at every level of our appraisal process to ensure delivery timescales have taken into account the current issues and that each scheme is stress tested to ensure its ongoing viability. 

In the wake of COVID-19 it is more important than ever to assess the changes to the landscapes of our towns and cities, and the impact on current and future planned schemes, particularly, but not exclusively, those relating to transport. 

The impact of COVID-19 in relation to travel behaviour into and around towns and cities is assessed as part of each scheme’s appraisal. 

While public transport patronage is currently lower than pre COVID-19 levels, it remains a priority to invest in public transport infrastructure to both help with economic recovery and to have the required infrastructure in place to respond to an increase in demand post-COVID-19. 

A range of options are being developed as part of each business case to determine the best scheme, which will include a range of options up to the high-cost scenario.

As part of the devolution deal, the Combined Authority secured £317 million from the DfT’s TCF to deliver schemes in the low-cost scenario.

Since then, the Combined Authority has approved the use of future gain share funding, alongside other income streams, to deliver the high-cost scenario up to £140 million. 

It will build on the significant investment already made through the Combined Authority’s other programmes, such as the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, Connecting Leeds and CityConnect.

Many of the TCF schemes provide enhancements or extensions to the projects being delivered through these programmes, helping to spread the benefits across a wider geography.  

The programme is focused on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities.  This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality. 

For more information about the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund visit westyorks-ca.gov.uk/projects/west-yorkshire-plus-transport-fund 

For more information about Connecting Leeds visit leeds.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/connecting-leeds-and-transforming-travel 

For more information about CityConnect visit cyclecityconnect.co.uk 

Find out more information about the Transforming Cities Fund programme at westyorks-ca.gov.uk/TCF

Public consultation and engagement activities are taking place throughout 2021.  

Details of the TCF consultations can be found at www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk. You can get in touch with the Combined Authority’s Consultation and Engagement team via YourVoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk, 0113 245 7676 or Freepost CONSULTATION TEAM (WYCA).  Please note that, due to the COVID-19 crisis, the majority of the Combined Authority’s staff are working from home and there will therefore be significant delays in receiving any postal contributions. If you can, please contact the team using another method to ensure a quick response.

The bid was led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in partnership with the 10 local authorities across the Leeds City Region. It was developed in two stages, with a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) submitted to the DfT in June 2019. The final bid was submitted to the DfT in November 2019. The bid documents can be found at westyorks-ca.gov.uk/TCF

The bid was developed in partnership with local authorities across the Leeds City Region, including Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Selby, Wakefield and York. The bid was also co-developed with the DfT, which provided feedback on the plans as they emerged. In line with other Mayoral Combined Authorities, we are required to feedback on the progress of the programme’s delivery.  

The programme is focused on connecting people in the communities of greatest economic need with job and training opportunities.  This will, in turn, help boost productivity, living standards and air quality. 

As part of the bidding process, the Combined Authority was asked to develop a series of schemes, which could be delivered under three different cost scenarios (low, core and high).   Each scheme needed to meet the Combined Authority’s priorities, as well as objectives set out by the DfT, such as reducing carbon emissions, and increasing capacity for commuters with better access to employment centres, especially from disadvantaged communities. 

Schemes put forward by local authorities were scored against the objectives before being reviewed as a programme.  Once agreement had been reached between local authority and Combined Authority officers, the programme was signed off by each of the leaders, as well as members of the Combined Authority’s Transport Committee.   

Bradford Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, is bringing forward a flagship programme of forward-thinking transport schemes, alongside major public space enhancements, that will help us shape and drive forward Bradford’s future regeneration in the city centre and beyond. Our overarching vision is to create a greener, more sustainable, accessible, and vibrant district that has immediate benefits for people living, working, visiting and studying in Bradford today, that also paves the way for future investment across the district.  

The proposals being brought forward by Bradford Council will reduce reliance on car travel and contribute to reducing congestion across the district, providing cleaner air, protecting the health of local people, creating greener, more attractive public spaces and providing opportunities for regeneration. These changes will support Bradford’s ambition of becoming the UK’s leading ‘clean growth’ district and act as an enabler to the City of Culture BID.

Bradford’s Transforming Cities Fund schemes form an important part of a wider programme of forward-thinking transport and regeneration schemes being brought forward across the district that are helping us shape and drive forward Bradford’s regeneration in the city centre and beyond. 

Through TCF, new public spaces and planting will be created in the city centre, to improve the look and feel of the area and make the city centre an increasingly attractive place to spend time. It will also support more cycling and walking in the city centre to better connect different areas while reducing the impact of major roads that currently dominate parts of key areas in the city centre. Achieving this is crucial to attracting more people to live, work and socialise in the city centre – increasing vibrancy, and attracting new employers to the district, bringing jobs and investment.

Bradford’s TCF programme is also essential to reducing the current reliance on car travel and subsequent congestion across the wider district, ensuring our air is cleaner air to protect people’s health. This will be crucial in fulfilling our ambition of becoming the UK’s leading ‘clean growth’ district and the wider region’s ambitions of becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038.

Investing to improve sustainable transport options in Bradford is in everyone’s interests, making it easier for more people to get about, allowing us to grow the economy and create jobs, increase the vibrancy of our city centre, and support our City of Culture BID. 

As a key destination and transport hub in the city centre, Bradford Interchange is integral to the plans for the city centre. Through the Bradford Interchange initiative, Bradford Council plans to deliver a series of improvements at the Interchange which will complement the City Centre proposals and help to transform the environment in the city centre, whilst improving access to the Interchange and the city’s transport offer. 

The Bradford Interchange Station Access scheme will focus on creating a new high-quality gateway to the Interchange which would dramatically improve how it connects with and ties into the heart of the city centre. The proposed new approach to the station will begin from a newly pedestrianised Hall Ings and expanded Norfolk Gardens green space, transforming the arrival in the city centre for visitors to City Park, Broadway and the emerging Cultural Quarter. Bradford Council has secured the lease to the NCP Car Park on Hall Ings, which it already owns the freehold for. Demolishing the NCP Car Park would allow a new, high quality approach to the Interchange to be created.

In order to better link the bus services and train platforms within the Interchange, the current car park and taxi rank at the Interchange would be relocated to the rear of station. A level walkway between the bus and train stations is also proposed to improve access between the two as they are currently poorly connected. 

Improvements would also be undertaken by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to transform the Interchange into a modern, fit-for-purpose transport hub. Some of the wider new and improved features will include:

• a new modern Travel Centre which will be located on the upper concourse with improved facilities to make information more accessible and reduce waiting times
• a new public address system and repaired tactile signage
• safety and security improvements, such as a new help point, pedestrian barriers, and warning beacons
• improvements to help the Interchange run more efficiently with new, reduced flush toilets and an EV charge point for maintenance vehicles.

Once complete users of the Interchange will benefit from an improved customer offering through the provision of new, modern facilities that also serve to make the Interchange safer, more accessible, and a more efficient facility to run. 

The proposals for Bradford Interchange are funded through TCF and WY+TF.

The aims of the Bradford Interchange Station Access scheme are:

• To create a new high-quality gateway to the Interchange which would dramatically improve how it connects with and ties into the heart of the city centre. 
• To create a new open and landscaped pedestrian approach to the Interchange, transforming the arrival in the city centre for visitors to City Park, Broadway and the emerging Cultural Quarter.
• To create a better link and improved connectivity between the bus services and train platforms within the Interchange to allow people to transfer between modes of transport more easily.

To improve the overall user experience.

Although Bradford Interchange acts as a gateway for accessing the district, it is currently poorly connected to the city centre via Bridge Street and the current environment provides an uninspiring welcome and experience. The proposals for the Interchange would dramatically improve access by creating a new approach to the Interchange from the expanded Norfolk Gardens on Hall Ings, a proposal which is being brought forward through the wider Bradford City Centre Cycling and Walking Improvements scheme.

Improving the pedestrian access to the Interchange would complement a series of other transformational changes being proposed to improve the environment in Bradford city centre and transform the ways in which people get about. 

Bradford Council has secured the lease to the NCP Car Park on Hall Ings, which it already owns the freehold for. The NCP Car Park would be demolished to allow the space to be opened up and a new, high quality approach to the Interchange to be created. 

While a new Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) station is planned for the St James’s Wholesale Market site at the southern edge of the city centre, it is anticipated that the Interchange will remain a key public transport hub for accessing the city centre in the coming years. The site will continue to act as a key bus hub for those wishing to access the city centre, including City Park and the Cultural Quarter.

Encouraging more people to walk, cycle or use public transport to travel into and around the city centre will ultimately help improve localised air quality, especially if these trips have previously been made by private car. The TCF programme has also been developed closely alongside wider plans to improve air quality across the city and contribute to Bradford’s move towards becoming net zero carbon.  

Access to through traffic would be removed on Hall Ings from the Jacobs Well roundabout to Bridge Street to accommodate the expansion of Norfolk Gardens and creation of a new pedestrianised approach to the Interchange. Sunbridge Road, Bridge Street, Broadway and Market Street would also be closed to through traffic as part of the wider Bradford TCF city centre plans. Vehicles will instead be able to loop round via Croft Street and Manchester Road.

While through traffic will be removed from these roads, access for deliveries will be maintained – although current access arrangements may change. Where there are new areas of pedestrianisation, we currently anticipate access for deliveries will be available during specified periods. We will consult with businesses and the various teams responsible for city centre security to ensure our final proposals are safe and effective.  

All of the proposed changes have been subject to theoretical traffic modelling to demonstrate the potential the impact the changes will have on surrounding roads. After analysis, we have concluded that any displacement of traffic can be accommodated by the surrounding road network.

Stimulating more trips using public transport, walking and cycling will reduce overall traffic and deliver substantial benefits, allowing the city centre to become more people-focused and attractive.

Although under our plans for the Interchange the NCP car park on Hall Ings will be demolished, parking will still be available in a number of locations across the city centre including Jacobs Well car park, the Upper George Street car park, on Sharpe Street and on Britannia Street. 500 new car parking spaces will also be provided at the South Bradford Park & Ride.

While a new Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) station is planned for Bradford City Centre, with the St James's Wholesale Market site being the preferred location for this, the Interchange is set to remain as the city’s primary bus station, meaning the proposals will deliver a lasting benefit.

The nature of the changes that may impact you depends on your location. Access for deliveries will be maintained in all circumstances, albeit timed to specific hours. Please send us further details of the specific location of your property/unit and we can provide more details.

The taxi rank and car park will be relocated at the rear of the Interchange, allowing taxis and private cars to continue dropping people off, accessing the station via Croft Street.

Norfolk Gardens would be expanded out to create a major new green space, and Hall Ings would be pedestrianised from Jacobs Well roundabout to Bridge Street. 

Incorporated within these new areas of public realm would be enhanced paving, street trees, greenery, and plenty of seating. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) would also be applied to prevent flooding and mitigate against climate change while improving biodiversity. 

The new public spaces and pedestrianised areas would make it easier for people to walk and cycle between shopping and entertainment areas, while providing room for pavement cafes and dining as well as pop up events, creating a sense of vibrancy and activity.

As the proposals currently stand, there are no plans remove any trees to accommodate the scheme. New street trees will be planted within the new areas of public realm, and if as the scheme designs develop there becomes a need to remove any trees, the loss will be offset by planting new ones.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority, in conjunction with Bradford Council, are developing a programme of works that will provide new and upgraded facilities at Bradford Interchange. Once complete users of the Interchange will benefit from an improved customer offering through the provision of new, modern facilities that also serve to make the Interchange safer, more accessible, and a more efficient facility to run. Some of the new and improved features will include:

• A new modern Travel Centre which will be located on the upper concourse with improved facilities to make information more accessible and reduce waiting times
• A new public address system
• New and repaired tactile signage
• Safety and security improvements, such as a new help point, pedestrian barriers and warning beacons
• Improvements to help the Interchange run more efficiently with new, reduced flush toilets and an EV charge point for maintenance vehicles 
• A new level walkway linking the upstairs bus and rail stations

A new taxi and pick up / drop off area on the south side of the interchange allowing pedestrianisation of the existing taxi rank and pick up / drop off area.

People will still be able to be picked up and dropped off by taxis wherever it is safe to do so. In the case of taxis, these can go wherever buses and cars go. Taxis will not be able to drop off on the newly pedestrianised sections of Sunbridge Road, Bridge Street, Broadway, Market Street or Hall Ings but provision will be made on the edges of those areas to facilitate access. Other than that, access will be as it is now. Bus stops will be located as close to the centre as possible, in convenient places.

Overall, we hope the plans will make it better for older and vulnerable people to enjoy the city centre. Our plans would see reduced traffic in and around key shopping areas of the city, including new areas of pedestrianisation. Our aim is to also make the city centre more attractive and the increase in public space will feature benches for people to rest and relax across the area.

Seven new bus hubs are also proposed around the civic core of the city. The new hubs would feature improved facilities for waiting passengers, including features such as seating, real time bus information and ticket purchasing services. The planned hubs would be located at Forster Square, Rawson Square, Goitside, City Park/Entertainment Quarter, Market Street, Cathedral and Little Germany/Broadway, allowing people to be dropped off at key locations close to the shops and leisure destinations.

Unfortunately, due to the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK, we will be unable to hold face-to-face consultation events during this consultation. We are, however, embracing a wide range of communication methods including postcards, leaflets and a dedicated consultation website for people to see the plans, provide their views and give feedback.

Bradford Council has so far developed early-stage proposals for the Bradford Interchange Station Access scheme, as well as the other three TCF schemes aimed at improving the options in Bradford for sustainable travel and improving the local environment. We want to find out the public’s views on the scheme before progressing to the detailed design stage. We want to ask for feedback on the proposals via the public consultation to ensure that we have considered all opportunities and possible issues when looking at how and where to deliver these changes. Your feedback will help us to understand where we can make improvements to the proposed schemes and allow us to be confident that our proposals are comprehensive.

After the public consultation, the plans for the four schemes will be further developed in line with the feedback received and an Outline Business Case for Bradford TCF will be produced, which will go to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority for consideration later in the year. Once the Combined Authority have fed back on the Outline Business Case, a Full Business Case will then be developed and submitted for final approval, ahead of scheme implementation. There is a tight turn around for delivery of the TCF schemes, with all schemes required to be completed by spring 2023. Therefore, we hope to be able to begin work on the first elements in early 2022.

The current consultation is the first opportunity to comment on the form of the proposals planned for the City Centre scheme. People can comment by email, post, freephone telephone or online. Through the consultation, we want to gather the views of all interested and affected parties.  

After the consultation, we will test and refine our plans to secure the confirmation of funding for each project. Later in the process, there will then be additional consultation to support the further design of the scheme, ahead of finalisation and implementation. Members of the public will have the opportunity to provide comments at this stage of the process also. 

After the public consultation, the plans for the scheme will be further developed in line with the feedback received and an Outline Business Case for Bradford TCF will be produced, which will go to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority for consideration later in the year.

Once feedback on the Outline Business Case has been received, a Full Business Case will then be developed and submitted for final approval, ahead of scheme implementation. 

The DfT element of the funding for the TCF programme has a spend deadline of spring 2023. Work is progressing to deliver schemes within this funding deadlines. We hope to be able to provide more details on proposed implementation timescales in the autumn once designs are progressed further and the scheme business case is completed for approval by the Combined Authority.