Leeds Inclusive Growth Event July 2024 - Place and Transport Event
Inclusive Growth Event July 2024
The Inclusive Growth Partnership attended their second event of the year at Cloth Hall Court in Leeds. This events theme was focused on Place with a spotlight on transport. exploring how we can make our places work by putting people first. We will create a city where you don’t need a car, and deliver jobs and homes in the right places, ensuring our city and local centres thrive and build resilience for the future.
The event opened with a statement from Eve Roodhouse Chief Officer of Culture and Economy regarding the number of staff changes occurring within Leeds City Council including her own secondment to the LGA. She announced in her statement that Fiona Bolam has been appointed as Interim Chief Officer for Economy and Skills. Also announced was that Angela Barnicle will be the new Interim Director for City Development following Martin Farrington's departure in September.
Panel discussion
The Morning then moved onto our panel discussion. The focus of the panel was transport and in particular the upcoming Mass Transit changes coming to Leeds. The panel featured Simon Warburton (Executive Director of Transport, West Yorkshire Combined Authority), Cllr Jonathan Pryor (Deputy Leader of Leeds City Council and Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Sustainable Development), Angela Barnicle (new Interim Director of City Development, Leeds City Council), Will Evans-Jones (Policy and Representation Executive, West & North Yorkshire Chamber).
The panel touched on the demand for improved public transport in West Yorkshire as well as how the different parties involved with this project will work together to deliver these upgrades. The panel also took questions regarding inclusivity and safety of women on transport as well as questions regarding how far reaching transport upgrades will be across West Yorkshire.
QnA session with Tom Riordan
After our panel session the Chief Executive Office of Leeds City Council Tom Riordan hosted a QnA session. Tom has worked at Leeds for 14 years and will be leaving his position at the end of the year. This session gave Tom an opportunity to reflect on what they had achieved since he joined and how hopeful he is that the ambitions of the city will continue when he has departed.
Breakout sessions
Attendees were given the option of 3 different breakout session of which they could attend 2. These were a chance for people to expand and dig deeper on some of the issues. These were The Future of Transport in West Yorkshire led by WYCA, Leeds Train Station expansion and rail investment led by LCC and Network Rail, Connecting Leeds Transport Strategy and transport innovation led by LCC.
Leeds Train Station - This session outlined the Leeds station expansion masterplan. The session gave the audience an opportunity to ask questions and offer their thoughts on some of the improvements being implemented to Leeds station over the next 15 years. Network Rail also provided some insights into the route upgrades happening over the next few years.
The Future of Transport - This session was a session ran by WYCA outlining the big changes coming to West Yorkshire regarding transport. The session covered the important impact an efficient cost effective transport system will have on Inclusive Growth within the region.
Connecting Leeds Transport Strategy and transport innovation - A workshop focused on the high street of the future. This looked at ways we can redesign our streets to make them safer, more accessible and more eco-friendly.