Car/bike commute into Leeds - advice please

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Amanda P

Legendary Member
In January, I’m starting a course which will run for three days a week at the studios in Kirkstall Road, Leeds.
I live out to the east of York. I’m not fit enough any more to consider riding the whole journey - but I do have a small (electric) car and a Brompton.
Parking looks to be expensive and/or difficult in the centre of Leeds, and journeys like this are the reason I have a Brommie.
So, advice from the collective please: where can I safely and cheaply leave the car, preferably on the east side of Leeds, A64 approach for preference, and make a reasonable final run in by Brompton?
 

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
Could you park at the Park and Ride, then ride in? I do that sometimes from the Elland Road, and occasionally Stourton, Park and Ride sites. Parking at these is free.

If using the Temple Newsam Park and Ride on the A63 you could come down Pontefract Lane, over the A61 bridge, then onto the canal through to Kirkstall Road.
 
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classic33

Leg End Member
Out the New York Road(A64), there are few car parking places that you can leave a car in all day. Until you get just outside city limitsl.
There was one below, city centre side of the Irish Centre(which might be worth asking if you could use their carpark) but I don't think it comes cheap.

It's the trip from east to west without going through the city centre, and get to Kirkstall Road that might be just as hard.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
As suggested by @DCLane, the Stourton Park & Ride looks good. A64, A1, M1 to Jctn 44. From here, you can: a) ride along the river and later, canal to the studios or b) the main road with very good segregated cycleway and bus lanes. About 5 miles and flat. River and canal have good surface.

Edit: re your suggestion to approach Leeds via A64. I’d avoid. That side of Leeds (for driving) is very busy and congested. The M1 route avoids it all.
 

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wiggydiggy

Legendary Member
The Temple Green Park and Ride will give the quickets ride into town - Pontefract Lane has a segregated cycle path right up to where the ring road (A61) crosses it. It gets a bit bimbly here, but you want to try and make your way accross town, past the train station and onto Wellington Street/Kirkstall Road. I'd try to use the towpath past the armouries, then past the old Tetley factory and Asda head office. You have options then for either carrying on using the towpath or (I'd do this) head under the train stationm, past the Queens hotel and straight down to Kirkstall Road.

As an option just fair warning on the canal, its not quick as lots of people use it especially near town, but also if its dark it can be a bit of a risk. I cycled it from Kirkstall to Alwoodley in the dark recently at evening commuter time and think I only saw 6 people, its quite isolated.
 
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