East Leeds Orbital Route

The study of British and Irish roads - their construction, numbering, history, mapping, past and future official roads proposals and general roads musings.

There is a separate forum for Street Furniture (traffic lights, street lights, road signs etc).

Registered users get access to other forums including discussions about other forms of transport, driving, fantasy roads and wishlists, and roads quizzes.

Moderator: Site Management Team

Post Reply
User avatar
Bryn666
Elected Committee Member
Posts: 35755
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 20:54
Contact:

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by Bryn666 »

Whole life costs on signals are relatively low once you've made the initial outlay. Main cost is energy consumption.

A GSJ may need a rigorous inspection regime of earthworks and stuctures. Maintenance is also higher.

However that is only part of the picture. Growth and value gained from a GSJ enhancing journey times should be considered.

The problem with scheme design these days is seemingly that do minimum type jobs are easier to deliver. The road is there to enable development so will be cheaply done as 'any access at lowest initial cost' is predominant political thought due to the fact when chickens return to roost the decision makers will have moved on. To quote Malcolm Tucker... NoMFuP.
Bryn
Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already.
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.

Blog - https://showmeasign.online/
X - https://twitter.com/ShowMeASignBryn
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BrynBuck
NICK 647063
Member
Posts: 1717
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 17:48
Location: Leeds

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by NICK 647063 »

It's quite sad how these days we do bare minimum, I was passing on the A64 through Leeds the other day and if you actually look at the vision we had many years ago, coming from the inner ring road onto the A64 York Road at Torre road you have that massive flyover which was built as D3 GSJ, York Road is a monster of an urban road but sadly further east this new orbital road has none of this ambition, like has been mentioned if you plan on building such a massive traffic controlled roundabout from the start then surely this proves it must be a GSJ, time will tell I guess.
User avatar
c2R
SABRE Wiki admin
Posts: 11162
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2002 11:01

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by c2R »

Looked this week like work to enlarge the north western dumbell roundabout at the Austhorpe Interchange in preparation for the tie-in with the new relief road is underway.
Is there a road improvement project going on near you? Help us to document it on the SABRE Wiki - help is available in the Digest forum.
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Get involved! - see our guide to scanning and stitching maps

From the SABRE Wiki: Austhorpe Interchange :


Austhorpe Interchange is junction 46 of the M1.

This was originally a conventional roundabout interchange when opened in 1999, with a dumbbell to the north being added in the early 2000s (see variation order 2000, below). It is believed that the slip roads between the roundabout and northern dumbbell are under special orders.

The north western dumbbell roundabout was enlarged in 2018 to take a new dual carriageway which would, in future, form part of the

... Read More
User avatar
LeedsKing
Member
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 18:31
Location: Leeds, occasionally

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by LeedsKing »

Re the Seacroft multiplex. I'm not against making it 40, but this will make it like the other steep hill, the A61 from Scott Hall sports to Sheepscar/Bustlingthorpe Lane. 40 is safe enough up hill, and indeed many people who are quite capable of doing 60+ up the hill choose not to (or can't work their gearbox), but people don't use their gears to manage a descent either. I always do 30-35 down Sheepscar as there are often cars pulling out and children on the road and braking is impeded down hill. Seacroft will be the same if people can start crossing wherever they want to get to Tesco etc.
-------------------------------------------------
Where we're going, we DO need roads

Ford Focus Ghia
NICK 647063
Member
Posts: 1717
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 17:48
Location: Leeds

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by NICK 647063 »

So it would seem this road has now passed the planning stage and construction will start next year spring 2018.

Just looking through the planning documents there are many terms to planning been passed, many off site junction improvements must be designed and have a start date before work can start on this road, for example these are on the existing road network which will likely be effected by this scheme, one is the A64/scholes lane junction improvement. I did also notice they stated a signal phasing plan must be in place for the A64 York Road into Leeds which includes all junctions between this new road and Selby Road, I’m just wondering if this is phasing these lights to try and make the A64 less attractive or to actually phase them better?

They did state in the planning that they expected this new road to relieve some traffic from the A64 in Leeds but I don’t see how! with the building of at least 5000 new homes surely this will make traffic worse, nobody wanting to access leeds is going to go via this new road which would include loads of roundabouts, all 50 mph, a complicated junction with the M1 and then some travel on the M1 then say up the A63 into Leeds when you can just nip along the A64, I guess they are thinking it might take some of the traffic from the A64 that currently avoids crossgates who knows.

This certainly means the end of the 70mph seacroft ring road but at least it will clear up the current multiplex and just become the A64, also both roundabouts at each end are to become signal controlled this is to prioritise traffic flow to the A64 it stated.

Anyway we will wait and see but I know leeds has to put in place a clean air zone soon and the other ring road is the start and finish of this new zone.
User avatar
stu531
Member
Posts: 2332
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 23:10
Location: Harrogate

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by stu531 »

Agreeing with the comments above; it has 'under-engineering' written all over it, in the same way that the A1237 did when it was built. I would wager that ten years from now, folk will be in uproar about how congestion builds up around roundabouts.

The plans appear to include improvements to the A6120 west of Red Hall/A58 area, which might mean dualing the section up to the existing dual. But I'm not sure - there are some indicative notes in the LCC document, but nothing for sure.

Secondly, I can see Austhorpe Interchange getting really busy - it already queues on the northbound exit slips to get onto the roundabout. It would be possible to create a new northbound slip off the M1 to the north of the existing junction to meet with the dumbbell (and the same to get onto the M1(S) just south of the dumbbell) to alleviate traffic - almost creating a Junction 46A.
M19
Member
Posts: 2249
Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2001 05:00
Location: Rothwell, Northants

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by M19 »

stu531 wrote:Agreeing with the comments above; it has 'under-engineering' written all over it, in the same way that the A1237 did when it was built. I would wager that ten years from now, folk will be in uproar about how congestion builds up around roundabouts.

The plans appear to include improvements to the A6120 west of Red Hall/A58 area, which might mean dualing the section up to the existing dual. But I'm not sure - there are some indicative notes in the LCC document, but nothing for sure.

Secondly, I can see Austhorpe Interchange getting really busy - it already queues on the northbound exit slips to get onto the roundabout. It would be possible to create a new northbound slip off the M1 to the north of the existing junction to meet with the dumbbell (and the same to get onto the M1(S) just south of the dumbbell) to alleviate traffic - almost creating a Junction 46A.
Yep. It's classic "head in the sand" engineering and traffic modelling. Now where are my sticking plasters?
M19
User avatar
c2R
SABRE Wiki admin
Posts: 11162
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2002 11:01

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by c2R »

NICK 647063 wrote: Anyway we will wait and see but I know leeds has to put in place a clean air zone soon and the other ring road is the start and finish of this new zone.

They were talking about this on the local news last time I was up there, and it was indicated that motorists wouldn't be penalised directly by this.

I agree that building it as at grade is short sighted, and also about some of the concerns re: Austhorpe (although some traffic will re-route). The effect of the thorpe park access road being closed over the last month for stabilisation works has been causing some interesting traffic dynamics at the roundabout during December during rush hour..
Is there a road improvement project going on near you? Help us to document it on the SABRE Wiki - help is available in the Digest forum.
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Get involved! - see our guide to scanning and stitching maps
NICK 647063
Member
Posts: 1717
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 17:48
Location: Leeds

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by NICK 647063 »

The plans appear to include improvements to the A6120 west of Red Hall/A58 area, which might mean dualing the section up to the existing dual. But I'm not sure - there are some indicative notes in the LCC document, but nothing for sure.

Secondly, I can see Austhorpe Interchange getting really busy - it already queues on the northbound exit slips to get onto the roundabout. It would be possible to create a new northbound slip off the M1 to the north of the existing junction to meet with the dumbbell (and the same to get onto the M1(S) just south of the dumbbell) to alleviate traffic - almost creating a Junction 46A.
The plans for the A6120 West of Red Hall are pretty much Just Junction capacity improvements, adding extra lanes through the traffic lights at Roundhay park lane and the A61 to cope with the extra volumes of traffic that will get to these Junctions quicker due to the extra capacity further south!

As you say the M1 J46 will be a nightmare as the improvements allow for very little to be done here.
User avatar
stu531
Member
Posts: 2332
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 23:10
Location: Harrogate

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by stu531 »

The other thing that sticks out is that the ELOR makes a different, viable route to Harrogate, Otley etc via Shadwell and Wike. As there's no decent route from the A1 to Harrogate, the cut-through is likely to cause more traffic through Brandon Lane & the Coal Road.
User avatar
LeedsKing
Member
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 18:31
Location: Leeds, occasionally

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by LeedsKing »

“While Carillion were the preferred bidder for the ELOR (East Leeds Orbital Road) work, a final contract had not been signed off. The contingency plans in place reflect the fact that we have been monitoring Carillion’s situation and planning accordingly.”

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/we ... -1-8959040

I suspect this could mean more delays to a road we should have had decades ago.
-------------------------------------------------
Where we're going, we DO need roads

Ford Focus Ghia
User avatar
wrinkly
Member
Posts: 8986
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:17
Location: Leeds

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by wrinkly »

Legal notice - side roads order submitted to DfT for confirmation:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2981332
User avatar
c2R
SABRE Wiki admin
Posts: 11162
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2002 11:01

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by c2R »

I've created a scheme page on the wiki for the ELOR and MLLR: East_Leeds_Orbital_Road

I've also taken a few photos of progress on the MLLR
Image
Image
Image
Image
Is there a road improvement project going on near you? Help us to document it on the SABRE Wiki - help is available in the Digest forum.
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Get involved! - see our guide to scanning and stitching maps

From the SABRE Wiki: East Leeds Orbital Road :


The East Leeds Orbital Route (ELOR) is a dual carriageway bypass for the east of Leeds which opened on 22 August 2022, costing over £110m and travelling 7.5km between Red Hall and Manston Lane Roundabout. Together with the Manston Lane Link Road (MLLR) which links the roundabout with Austhorpe Interchange on the M1 it forms an eastern bypass of Leeds.

The first stretch of road to be constructed is the section between Austhorpe Interchange and Manston Lane.

... Read More
User avatar
LeedsKing
Member
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 18:31
Location: Leeds, occasionally

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by LeedsKing »

A load of trees have been cut down around the junction of ring road and Park Lane / Roundhay Park Lane. I thought the new route was going to start east of there. Is that work totally unrelated? Just making that jct safer? Everybody going ahead instead of turning jumps reds which prevents anybody turning right until very late. You're lucky to average 20mph between Crossgates and the A61 which is terrible. Worse in rush hour.
-------------------------------------------------
Where we're going, we DO need roads

Ford Focus Ghia
User avatar
c2R
SABRE Wiki admin
Posts: 11162
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2002 11:01

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by c2R »

That work is just part of junction improvements on the existing route: https://news.leeds.gov.uk/north-east-le ... his-month/
Is there a road improvement project going on near you? Help us to document it on the SABRE Wiki - help is available in the Digest forum.
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Get involved! - see our guide to scanning and stitching maps
User avatar
LeedsKing
Member
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 18:31
Location: Leeds, occasionally

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by LeedsKing »

Well, I'm astonished. Leeds is always ignored and treated as a minor city. Manchester gets a D3/4M all around, and we get 1 lane each way with some lights. This is a small step in the right direction. This is all A road work so it must be central govt funding and not the council paying for it. They have "better" things to spend it on.
-------------------------------------------------
Where we're going, we DO need roads

Ford Focus Ghia
User avatar
c2R
SABRE Wiki admin
Posts: 11162
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2002 11:01

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by c2R »

LeedsKing wrote:Well, I'm astonished. Leeds is always ignored and treated as a minor city. Manchester gets a D3/4M all around, and we get 1 lane each way with some lights. This is a small step in the right direction. This is all A road work so it must be central govt funding and not the council paying for it. They have "better" things to spend it on.
It's untrue to suggest that all A road work is centrally funded. The ELOR is estimated to cost £116m and is part regionally funded by the West Yorkshire Plus Development Fund and part developer funded as it will open up a large amount of land to new housing, with the MLLR being funded by development and by the City Council.

https://www.leeds.gov.uk/parking-roads- ... provements
Is there a road improvement project going on near you? Help us to document it on the SABRE Wiki - help is available in the Digest forum.
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Get involved! - see our guide to scanning and stitching maps
User avatar
Owain
Elected Committee Member
Posts: 26209
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2009 17:02
Location: Leodis

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by Owain »

LeedsKing wrote:Well, I'm astonished. Leeds is always ignored and treated as a minor city. Manchester gets a D3/4M all around, and we get 1 lane each way with some lights. This is a small step in the right direction. This is all A road work so it must be central govt funding and not the council paying for it. They have "better" things to spend it on.
Let me guess: your avatar is a still from the opening sequence of Life on Mars?

Leeds might have come off second fifth best when it came to an orbital, but the inner city motorway is a better job than the Manchester one, in my view. The way it is cut down into the ground means that it doesn't cut the northern part of the city off from the centre in the way that an at-level or elevated motorway would have done.

Every time I walk past it, I marvel at how they squeezed it all in. The only problem is that some of the acceleration lanes are too short to prevent flow on the main artery being disrupted by joining traffic.
Former President & F99 Driver

Viva la Repubblica!
User avatar
LeedsKing
Member
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 18:31
Location: Leeds, occasionally

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by LeedsKing »

Yes, it's from Life on Mars. Good news about more houses being allowed. I still don't think it will be enough.
-------------------------------------------------
Where we're going, we DO need roads

Ford Focus Ghia
NICK 647063
Member
Posts: 1717
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 17:48
Location: Leeds

Re: East Leeds Orbital Route

Post by NICK 647063 »

As stated the orbital road is very much developer funded and maybe will be full of roundabouts but looking at the plans at least it’s a D2 and at least it’s been built before the houses, the east side of Leeds is a massive development area and that area will change dramatically in the next 10 years, many in crossgates weren’t too happy with all the proposed development but at the same time a big sweetener was this new road creating a bypass for crossgates removing the ring road from the very centre of the place which has become worse and worse since the M1 was built.
Post Reply