Leeds is set to get a new city-wide tram network as part of a 'transformational' mass transit plan for the region.
Incorporating historic tramlines uncovered by builders at the Corn Exchange last year, the new network will utilise some of the city's long-lost routes as well as creating some brand new ones.
According to reports, the inner-city network is being brought in instead of the long-promised High Speed 2 (HS2) railway link from Leeds to London, which was scrapped by government ministers at the end of last year.
Councillors have now been told that Leeds will now receive an inner-city tram network by way of 'compensation'.
The news follows the announcement that the Manchester to Leeds HS2 leg has officially been scrapped by government ministers, with some hoping that the new tram line will serve as an appeasement to locals.
The idea was first made public by The Mail on Sunday last November, with a government source telling the paper at the time: "We are considering improvements to bring Leeds into line with other cities.”
Back in 2019, Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said it was “madness that Leeds should be the largest city in Europe with no metro rail system”.
Now, it appears that the city is to be 'levelled up' as promised after all.
The old tram network in Leeds ran until 1959. / Image: Patrick Howley
Leeds of course did have a transit system that ran across the city from 1871 – 1959, using a combination of horse-drawn, steam and electric trams over time.
However, due to the trams being deemed unaffordable by the City Council following the Second World War, they ultimately closed – and have been missed in the city ever since.
At present, Leeds is the largest city in Western Europe without a built-in transport system, but if the Birmingham – Leeds line of HS2 is scrapped and new tram plans are approved by ministers, this could become a statistic of the past.
This is not the first time Leeds has been promised a new tram network, however. Plans for a network across the city centre have been going on for quite some time.
The plans were finally scrapped in 2005 by the Transport Secretary after budget issues, but the proposed track would have served the inner city, both Universities and Headingley.
Leeds supertram plans were disbanded in 2005 but the plans are still available online. / Image: Open Street Map
The three lines would have run from Tingley, Bodington and Grimes Dyke and joined in the city centre at stations on Albion Street, Eastgate, Boar Lane and City Square.
Last summer, builders unearthed historic tram tracks more than 60 years old -leading to calls from the public to restore the lines to their former glory.
Now, at last, residents' calls are being made into a reality - as Leeds City council has confirmed plans to restore the lines and bring trams back to Leeds as early as the end of 2022.
In a statement, Councillor Joe KS Mc'Gee said: "The people of Leeds have long called for the restoration of the city's historic tram lines, and today we can confirm that this desire is finally set to become a reality.
"We are thrilled that the decision has been made to reinstate this integral piece of the city's culture and Leeds is now being brought in line with other major citys across the UK."
A much-loved pub and live music venue is struggling with a series of 'malicious' noise complaints, prompting a huge outpouring of support from music industry insiders.
The Golden Lion over in Todmorden is facing uncertainty amidst the complaints from 'some random'.
Matthanee 'Gig' Nilavongse, who runs the venue and its live music offering, said he's 'had enough' and believes The Golden Lion is being targeted.
He stressed that nothing in the venue - the sound system, sound proofing, or anything else in its set-up - has changed since the noise complaints started.
Gig also added that people have been travelling from across the UK and even further afield to attend its events, benefitting the wider community of businesses and local economy.
He added: "Bank holiday next weekend and I'II not tolerate the threat from anyone."
Hundreds of people, including industry names like Sacha Lord, Luke Cowdrey, and Hot Chip's Joe Goddard, have voiced their support for the grassroots venue.
Sacha Lord offered his help fighting the complaints, then added: "I'm sick to death of these NIMBYS who threaten businesses and jobs."
Chelsea Teesdale, head of marketing for the Warehouse Project and Parklife, said: "Sorry you're going through this. The golden lion means so much to many. I go to all kinds of gigs and venues, nothing is quite like the magic of your home."
And Nite School Manchester wrote: "So sorry to hear you're going through this. What you've built at The Golden Lion for the people of Tod (& far beyond!) is a guiding star to us Gig, and we'll be doing everything we can to support you & the team."
Following on from this heartwarming display of affection for the venue, Gig added: "Thank you for all supports near and far, you're close to my heart.
"The show must go on, I'm not back down until the door is close."
Cheap flights up for grabs as easyJet’s ‘Big Orange Sale’ is BACK for 2026
Danny Jones
If you're in need of a holiday, there's no better time to book than now with easyJet's 'Big Orange Sale' returning to the UK.
Not only can you get affordable trips from the likes of Leeds Bradford and Doncaster Sheffield, specifically, but there are discounts across the board by the operator.
The Big Orange Sale is becoming an increasingly popular annual occurrence for Brits, with countless holidaymakers, rather fittingly, making the most of the offer.
In fact, you might have already seen the advert yourselves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgGG1AciY3I
Just as the ad explains, those travelling via easyJet can get up to 20% discount on flights to a load of different destinations across the globe.
Yes, the company are knocking up to a fifth off the price on flights over the course of nearly 10 months' worth of travel from the UK, provided the trip is booked within the right window.
Seeing savings on more than 730,000 seats, the time frame itself is also one of the longest cut-price periods you'll come across this year, not to mention well into 2027.
Better still, it doesn't just stop at flying itself...
Get this, the flight operators and travel agents are offering up to £400 off on package holidays, meaning those old faithful all-inclusives are about to become even more bang for your buck.
Featuring not only countless mainland European favourites on the list, but also the likes of the Canary Islands, Morocco, and numerous popular skiing hotspots, just to name a few.
As reported by our friends over at The Manc, there are loads of cheap seats from the likes of Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Leeds-Bradford and more as part of this year's sale.
Allowing you to book trips departing between 1 May 2026 and 14 March 2027, it's a huge travel window for you to get extra value-for-money deals on your next getaway.
You can find the full list of flights and package holidays on easyJet's Big Orange Sale right HERE.
The Hoot -
1st April 2022 
