The proposed road (routes A and B) would serve just 5% of airport customers, according to Rawdon Parish Council’s traffic survey, published in local media. At £50-75m, they are poor value for money.
They also do not bypass the worst congestion, which is further towards Leeds city centre. Route C would only serve 5% of customers for its entire length (19% for part of its length) and it would be impractical and undesirable to impinge on private property to widen the A65 and A658 and put a major road through the village of Rawdon and past Benton Park Secondary School.
A new railway station on the Harrogate Line, with an airport shuttle-bus, would serve the airport better and involve less loss of greenbelt. Indeed, a new road may lead to 1000s of greenbelt houses, actually increasing congestion. A rail stop could also serve as a park-and-ride, reducing congestion. The cost would be around £15m, much less than a road across greenbelt.
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