Over 11,000 fines were reportedly issued to motorists in just over a month, so much so that the council have had to revoke the fixed penalty notices.
Last year, a new bus gate was introduced to stop cars from turning off Vicar Lane and onto Lady Lane between the hours of 5am and 10pm to improve public transport access in the city centre.
A traffic enforcement camera was installed in October 2021 but didn't start issuing fines, just warning notices, until November.
The bus lane is between Lady Lane and Vicar Lane in Leeds city centre. / Image: Leeds City Council
Between 1 November and 9 December 2021, the council have conformed that 11,159 notices were issued. Out of this unprecedented number of fines, a whopping. 1,261 were appealed, just under 10% of the total number issued and £142,410 had been paid in fines by drivers.
As a result, the council have reconsidered the fixed penalty notices' and refund the costs of all penalty notices that have been paid to date, as well as allowing all appeals to be submitted and dismissing any further outstanding notices.
The issue was brought to the council's attention by Coun Conrad Hart-Brooke, who submitted a question to the council’s ruling Executive Board, asking: “How many bus lane camera tickets have been issued by the camera on Vicar Lane/Lady Lane since it went live last year?”
He went on to ask about further fines and policies and was given a written response stating the refunds of current and past fines, equating to a staggering £142,410.
The senior councillor that responded to Mr Hart-Brooke stated that the camera was placed to help aid the long-term strategy of improving the roads in the city centre for public transport. At present this only affects the traffic on Vicar Lane and Lady Lane, but it is proposed that the council should convert the stretch of Vicar Lane north of the Headrow into a two-way street to close traffic to New Briggate altogether.
This doesn't mean that the penalty notices will disappear altogether. The council acknowledge the current road marketing are not sufficient, although meeting minimum legal requirements, and new measures are going to be drawn up, with a view of implementing these changes as soon as possible.
It is thought the additional measures will include additional signing and carriageway markings.
Whitelock’s Ale House has announced the return of its annual Beer Festival - hoorah!
There’s nothing quite like a nice fresh pint, and we all know Whitelock’s Ale House know how to pour a good one.
So it's with great glee that we can fill you in on their upcoming Beer Festival which will be returning to the iconic festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June 2026.
The four-day festival will celebrate the best of independent brewing in Leeds, with beers sourced exclusively from local breweries.
Featured breweries will include Northern Monk, Kirkstall Brewery, Anthology, Amity Brew Co. and more.
Known as the oldest pub in Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House has long championed independent beers and local brewing culture.
Image: Supplied
This year’s festival aims to spotlight the strength and diversity of the city’s brewing scene, with the tagline 'Beer tastes better up north!'
Beer will be pouring throughout the weekend across Whitelock's Ale House and The Turk's Head, with further brewery announcements and festival details set to be shared in the coming weeks via their Instagram.
The best part? Entry to the festival is completely free.
Talking about this year’s festival, General Manager Beth said: “Beer has always been at the heart of Whitelock’s, so this felt like the right year to celebrate both the breweries on our doorstep and the city we’ve called home for more than 300 years.
"Leeds has a brilliantly strong independent beer scene right now, and we’re looking forward to showcasing some of the best breweries the city has to offer across the weekend.”
You can find out more about Whitelock's Ale House and their fabulous Beer Festival here via their website. Cheers to that!
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one sauna giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.
Sophie Smith -
26th January 2022 
