Transport Insights

Back on the saga of the West Yorkshire Mass Transit – which may or may not be a tram – it appears that the region’s combined authority has fallen behind on its revised timetable for developing the scheme.

The story so far is that nine months ago, a report from the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) led to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s (WYCA) plans for mass transit being put back from the early 2030s to the end of the decade.

A report to the authority’s Scrutiny Committee in March stated that:

The changes to the programme following the updated sequential timeline have resulted in a resetting of resources. This means the programme’s clear focus will be on the delivery of the Strategic Outline Case

(and in fact a surprisingly long list of other matters to be the subject of a “clear focus”)

The report said:

Preparation of the Strategic Outline Case (SOC) remains underway.

…

In September we advised the Combined Authority that the SOC was forecast for submission to the DfT in March 2026 it is now expected towards the end of summer 2026 to ensure a more robust and high-quality outcome.

I think we have gone beyond the end of summer 2026 but the WYCA webpage for the scheme still states:

Right now, we’re preparing the Strategic Outline Case (SOC), an early stage in the Government’s business case process, which we will submit later in 2026.

I’ve asked the WYCA about this; it has not responded but it does look like things have fallen even further behind.

In the meantime, the Yorkshire Post reports:

A disused rail tunnel that has been gated off for over two decades was opened to the public on Saturday and Sunday.

…

There have been calls for the structure to be re-opened as a public greenway, and it could soon become hugely significant for the region – the former rail line has been touted as one possible route for the planned tram system linking Bradford with Leeds.

The tunnel in question is the Greenside tunnel and the picture above by Damon Sugden is from Greenside Greenway, a charity that campaigns for the preservation and utilisation of the tunnel as a community asset, “either as a greenway or part of a wider mass transit scheme”.