A6120: Multi-million pound footbridge to link two Yorkshire villages across one of busiest Leeds roads delayed due to rising costs

A council has delayed plans to construct a multi-million pound footbridge to connect two Yorkshire villages.

The year-long construction project over the A6120 outer ring road - one of the busiest roads in Leeds - was due to commence earlier this year.

However, work on the bridge previously estimated to cost £7m has been paused and the project will be reviewed due to rising costs, the council said.

The accessible footbridge - likened to a ‘treble clef music note’ when the design was announced three years ago - is part of the £23m Connecting West Leeds scheme which cites longstanding speed-related collision problems along the Leeds Outer Ring Road (ORR).

Prior to the ring road construction in the 1970s, residents could walk between Farsley and Calverley.

Today, the communities are divided by the A6120 and 50mph traffic.

The planned footbridge would connect the two villages alongside other works including footpaths, cycleways and the new design of Dawsons Corner roundabout.

Several residents told The Yorkshire Post on Tuesday they were reluctant to cross near the Calverley Lane junction, with one likening it to a “game of chicken.”

Chris Preston-Routledge, 61, who owns Homeconomy in Farsley, believes a community bus service or traffic lights with cameras could be more cost-effective.

“I do think it will be of interest to walkers, including dog walkers and cyclists, as a means to cross the ring road,” he said.

“However, I also think it is a very expensive way of providing this service.

“I think that the delay will provide a well-timed break to discuss further options.”

Leeds City Council confirmed the delay.

In a statement, a spokesperson from the council told The Yorkshire Post: “We are reviewing the design and scope of the footbridge to identify a solution that can be delivered within the available budget, while still meeting the project's objectives."

The council confirmed it remains committed to delivering a new pedestrian footbridge over the A6120, “making it easier and safer for people to walk in the area.”

“We will provide a further update on timescales once this work has been completed,” a spokesperson added.