A DECISION to scrap plans for a multi-million pound link road to Leeds Bradford Airport has been hailed as 'a clear victory'.

Leeds City Council had been consulting on the scheme but faced strong opposition, especially in Horsforth and Rawdon, where the road would have cut through the green belt.

Now it has announced it would not be proceeding with the link road proposals due to a 'lack of clear support' from the public. Instead, the authority intends to further consider other options to help the area cope with the airport's projected growth.

Plans for schemes including an airport parkway train station, park and ride facilities and a new employment zone will now be discussed at a meeting of the Executive Board on January 7.

The council's Executive Board member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainable Development, Councillor Lisa Mulherin, said: "We have asked people including local residents and stakeholders twice about the road proposals and the lack of clear support for any of the options has been consistent so it is only right that we have listened and are responding to what people are telling us they do want.

"That is why we are taking forward proposals for a parkway station, investing in sustainable public transport infrastructure."

Councillors Dawn Collins, Jackie Shemilt and Jonathon Taylor (all Con, Horsforth) said: "We have consistently argued against this new road which only started where the congestion finished, and we are pleased we had the support of local people.

"Forcing the council to U-turn on one of their flagship policies was always going to be difficult but this is a clear victory for our campaign to invest instead in the Outer Ring Road. We will await with interest and open minds to see what these new proposals will be."

Rawdon Parish Council chairman Neil Hunt said: "We concluded that there could be no justification for spending £100 million plus on a link road that would serve few airport users, do little to relieve congestion and tear a scar right through the middle of our green belt.

"The Climate Emergency declared by Leeds City Council is one more significant reason not to cover over green spaces to build a road that would have been more of a trophy project than a useful piece of infrastructure."

Otley and Yeadon ward Councillors Sandy Lay, Ryk Downes and Colin Campbell (all Lib Dem) also welcomed the news.

Cllr Lay said: "We are pleased the road proposals have been abandoned as they were never the answer. They would also have had a major environmental impact on the green belt contrary to our views on climate change.

"We appreciate the plans for an employment zone are recognised as important, it will bring welcome jobs to the area, but we need to ensure these are high skilled, well paid jobs which can be accessed via a decent public transport service."

Cllr Campbell said: "Yeadon residents suffer from high levels of congestion and pollution caused by traffic using Harrogate Road/Victoria Avenue. The Executive Board papers make no proposals about how this could be relieved.

"This, along with extra traffic generated by the proposed parkway rail station and the general decline of the bus network, means residents will continue to suffer."

Conservative MP for Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough, Stuart Andrew, said: "Thank goodness Leeds have at long last listened to the calls our councillors and I have been making and scrapped the idea of an enormous link road.

"When we are in a state of a climate change emergency it made no sense to destroy green belt land to build this. Now the council needs urgently to move forward to invest the money in the ring road and junctions like Horsforth roundabout instead. I am personally calling on them to be ambitious about these improvements and to start spending the £173 million I secured for the city on schemes such as a rail link to the airport."

MP Alex Sobel (Lab, Leeds North West) said: "This decision shows that the consultation process works, people have been listened to and the city is taking its climate emergency declaration seriously. I have been calling for this reconsideration and am satisfied my voice and those of the communities I represent have been heard.

"I am pleased the decision regarding the parkway train station will be taken next month - I have long campaigned for the acceleration of these plans as our communities are in desperate need for sustainable transport."