There will be no charge on any West Yorkshire bus as the first day of the COP26 to raise awareness for climate-efficient transport.
Buses across West Yorkshire will be free on Sunday 31 October as part of a climate crisis initiative.
This Sunday, there will be no charge for bus journeys across Leeds, as well as journeys within or across the districts of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.
The initiative hopes to encourage people to take public transport rather than travelling via private vehicles.
Tackling climate change and protecting the environment is one of the Mayor's top ten pledges to West Yorkshire and it is hoped that 'Free Bus Sunday' will be backed up with other eco-friendly projects in the future.
Buses will be free this Sunday to raise awareness of the COP26 in Glasgow. / Image: Zach Lee Bus Spotting
The free travel date marks the start of the COP26 UN Conference, running from Sunday 31 October until Friday 12 November.
Over 120 leaders around the world will meet to discuss what "could be the world’s best last chance to get runaway climate change under control", according to COP26 officials.
Over 25,000 people in total will attend the event in Glasgow, including Tracy Babin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire.
She has spoken about her plans for West Yorkshire and the environment since taking her position in May 2021.
Babin has states that ideally, buses will be the "first choice for travel in West Yorkshire- not just because you don't have a car, but because they're more affordable, convenient to use and better for the planet".
The event comes after Leeds bus network was granted an extra £270 million to revamp the network to create a London-style system.
It is in addition to existing offers that have been put in place since this announcement, including the £1 bus fare in Leeds city centre after 7pm and the £1 return Leeds to York bus from City Zap that runs on a Wednesday.
The Mayor hopes to see as many people taking advantage of 'Free Bus Sunday' and that there will be even more occasions where free buses are available to the people of West Yorkshire in the future.
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept is on its way.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast is gearing up to bring its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds will combine saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space will feature two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: Supplied
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.
To suit different moods and preferences, Kontrast Leeds will include both a social sauna and a silent 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.
Image: Supplied
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.
The Leeds site builds on everything the team has learned from Kontrast in Manchester.
Alongside the core sauna, Ice, cafe offering, the new site will include improved facilities, more spacious sauna provision and additional ice baths meaning more room for people to get involved.
Leeds city centre crowned one of the best places to live in the north by The Sunday Times
Clementine Hall
Today, Leeds city centre earned itself a coveted spot in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
What brilliant news to end the week on, hey?
Leeds city centre was amongst eight other locations across the north and the north east to be featured on the list.
The market town of Skipton took home the dazzling first prize, but it's still nice to be included isn't it.
Here's what the judges had to say about Leeds city centre: “Leeds has five universities, the fourth largest urban economy in the UK (with job opportunities in finance, insurance and big business), a youthful vibe and a relatively affordable average house price (£285,100).
Image: Unsplash
“Stay close to the centre, where you won’t have to worry about the patchy public transport, and it all adds up to a fun-filled, fulfilled life within walking distance of stylish shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. There’s a good choice of riverside homes, where you may spot kingfishers and otters, and even the schools are good.”
In total, 72 places across the UK were selected by The Sunday Times to showcase the very best of Britain, with Norwich named the overall national winner.
The full list of locations in the north and northeast include:
Skipton
Howardian Hills, North Yorkshire
Leeds city centre
Morpeth, Northumberland
Newcastle: Gosforth
Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire
Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire
York
Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, said: “This guide is a great opportunity to highlight the best places in Britain.
“It is full of places that show that our village, town and city centres can still be full of life, as well as places bursting with natural beauty, culture, connectivity and most importantly a sense of community.
“Our expert team of judges visit every location on the list and talk to the locals to find out what they love about the place they live."
Sophie Smith -
28th October 2021 
