Plans to revamp a “nightmare” north Leeds junction are currently “on pause” because of a lack of funding, local highways bosses have said.
The roundabout linking Stonegate Road and King Lane in Moortown is often ravaged by congestion and heavy traffic. Leeds City Council began looking into the prospect of overhauling the junction several years ago, but the scheme missed out on the estimated £14m funding it would need to progress.
Speaking at a scrutiny meeting on Wednesday, Labour councillor for Moortown, Sharon Hamilton, asked officers to consult widely with local people over the scheme’s finer details, when it is ready for development. She said: “We don’t want that nightmare of a roundabout anymore.
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“I’d like to see traffic lights put up there.” But in response, the council’s chief officer for highways, Gary Bartlett said: “We think that’s one of those schemes where it’s been developed to a certain point, but there is as yet no identified funding to take it to another level.
“So we need to work together to find that money to allow it to progress. That scheme is potentially on pause at this moment in time.”
However, the council is looking to revive plans for a park-and-ride facility in neighbouring Alwoodley, to try to cut city centre-bound traffic. That idea also missed out on funding previously, but a bid to the government’s Levelling Up fund has now been submitted in the hope of obtaining the cash.
But Councillor Hamilton, who’d earlier praised the recent redevelopment of Leeds city centre, called for more investment in the suburbs and places like Moortown. She told Mr Bartlett: “I understand what you’re saying.
“But now the city centre looks fantastic, can we have a lot more attention for the other areas, because not everyone goes into the city centre. Please can we have a lot more concentration on our communities for the next few years, before we have to upgrade the centre again, though I hope we won’t have to do that for another 30 years!”
Councillor Helen Hayden, the authority’s executive member for infrastructure said: “I absolutely hear you. We’re developing not just highways schemes, but other schemes as well that will make life much better in the city and for our communities.
“You’re absolutely right. We live in communities where often people, young and old, don’t go into the city centre.”
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