Sustainable transportation in Leeds

Did you know that you can hire a bike to get around whilst you are a student at Leeds Beckett?

This is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment whilst saving money. Bike hire contracts last for up to 3 months each time and if you would like to keep the bike longer then you can easily take out a  new contract online. The cost is £50 for the first hire period plus a £50 deposit. If you decide to take out another contract it will be £20 and the next two 3 month contracts are £10 each. Contracts start again after 4 periods at £50 and you will need to return your bike for maintenance at this point.

Public transport in Leeds is ever developing and is now becoming more sustainable.

For example, there is now a fully solar-powered Park and ride in Stourton. The whole building and all of the busses pull their power from solar panels. The fully solar-powered site is served by zero-emission electric buses.

You may have also seen some rather green busses going around the city centre running the number 5 service. Compared to diesel busses, these electric busses save 45 tonnes of carbon per vehicle each year. They are part of a wider commitment, made by First Bus, to operate a fully zero-emission fleet by 2035.

There are also some ultra-low emissions busses running on popular routes such as the number 1 and the number 6. These are 95% cleaner than some of the busses which they will replace. As a passenger, these busses have advantages such as free wifi and charging outlets.

Our rail network is developing too. Leeds Train station has gone through some changes which have brought in a new platform and a refurbishment to one of the main station entrances. This has all been done in an effort to increase the station’s capacity for passengers and improve the current services.

The amount of emissions from a train, per kilometre travelled, is around 41g whilst emissions from an average diesel car with one passenger is around 171g making rail travel a sustainable choice. With more and more of the national rail network becoming electrified, emissions will continue to decrease. You can read more information about this on the BBC website.

Walking in Leeds

Leeds City Centre has recently been undertaking some big changes which are making it easier and safer to walk around Leeds. The area around the Corn Exchange is next to be improved with wider pavements and better crossing points. Changes like this make the city a safer and easier place to get around on foot.

You can read more about the upcoming improvements here: Leeds Improvement Schemes.

All of these developments, in Leeds, are making it easier for people to reduce their impact on the environment. So, the next time you are planning on driving or getting a taxi, consider if there is a more sustainable way for you can travel.