Metro Chairman Councillor Chris Greaves has welcomed the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly Regional Transport Board’s backing for almost £15m of rail growth measures for the Leeds City Region

New stations at Kirkstall Forge and Apperley Bridge and almost 700 new park-and-ride spaces across the network, including 400 at the two new stations, are among the measures contained in the £14.3m package approved last week.

“New stations and more park-and-ride facilities spaces will make the rail network more accessible and encourage more people to make business trips and commuter journeys by rail,” said Councillor Greaves.

“By providing more, attractive alternatives to the car in this way we can tackle the congestion in our major centres and main corridors, that could hamper the City Region’s ongoing development.”

Chair of the Regional Transport Board, Cllr Mark Kirk said, “By endorsing these proposals the Regional Transport Board is supporting schemes that we believe will use the full regional funding allocation to produce good quality projects and deliver key regional policies.”

“It’s hoped that these schemes will provide some of the improved transport links that the region is in serious need of by tackling congestion in the major centres.”