Pedestrians and parkers to gain from Moortown M&S makeover

4.59.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 29th Jul 2008

North Leeds shoppers are set to benefit from new pedestrian crossings and parking works to be carried out as part of the expansion of Marks and Spencer on Moortown Corner.

As part of the expansion of the high street chain's Simply Food store onto the site of the old Chained Bull pub, new pedestrian facilities are to be built to serve the area. The works will involve closing the existing access point for vehicles to the Chained Bull and making it into a footway.

Full pedestrian facilities will also be installed on all four arms of the junction of Harrogate Road and Shadwell Lane and improvements made to the existing islands. Currently, there are pedestrian facilities on just two arms of the busy junction, making life awkward for pedestrians on Moortown's main shopping street.

As well as the new crossing facilities, Marks and Spencer have agreed to contribute £15,000 to undertake Traffic Regulation Orders or surveys in the vicinity to address the issue of parking.

Cllr Brenda Lancaster (Lib Dem, Moortown) said:

"This is excellent news for local residents. The shops on Moortown corner are very popular and widely used but the road can get very busy and at the moment is not as safe as it could be for pedestrians. I am delighted that Marks and Spencer have agreed to carry out this work which will make life easier for the many people who use these shops on a daily basis.

"Parking is a long standing issue in the area around Moortown Corner and this will only be exacerbated by the expansion of Marks and Spencer. I am glad to see that Marks and Spencer have taken a responsible view on this and have agreed to pay for work required to address the matter."