Leeds traffic

What’s the best way in to the First Direct at Leeds on a Friday night from GY? The 62 is nearly always excrement at that time and I think Google is saying going in via the SW. Looking at the map there’s reasonable access from the NE on the A1. We’re there next week for Peter Kay but can’t leave until 1530/1600 at the earliest.

Sounds stupid mate but we can throw loads of different suggestions but google maps is the best thing. Just follow it as that is updated every minute. I don't find it fully accurate so any congestion seek other routes if they're sensible

Depends how desperate you are to avoid the traffic. The journey’s a slight pain in the bottom from J31 onwards, past Wakefield and onto the M621. You could always get a train in from somewhere like Woodlesford, but then that’s a different set of fúcking about.

Hate driving in he centre of Leeds so usually get off the M621 at J4 and head towards the Armouries. Loads of parking round there, 5 min walk into town along the canal and relatively quick getting back onto the motorway on the way back out.

Hate driving into the centre of Leeds too. Horrible. Other option is maybe to consider going via York and using the A64, but that’s often busy as f@ck too.

You could always sack it off and sell the tickets at a vastly inflated price?

Remember when Peter Kay used to be funny? 😉

I believe Poojah is our man in the Leeds area so my suggestion is to send him a PM.

Many years since I lived in Leeds, but the traffic into the centre has always been crap whenever I've visited. It may just be luck or the timing when I tended to arrive there, but I never really had too many problems getting into the centre. It's a bit hairy as there are various multi-lane roads sweeping past the station and into the City Square so you're always trying to check you aren't about to cut somebody up inadvertently. It always used to be more difficult to get out of the centre back in the day but I know they've made lots of changes to the roads in recent years.

I'd say the biggest thing which will impact the journey is the time of arrival. After the rush hour, it shouldn't be too bad. You've always got the potential to be screwed on the M62 on the Friday afternoon, though most traffic is probably heading away from Leeds rather than towards it. It does help that people tend to sodomist off earlier on a Friday.

The traffic in Leeds city centre isn’t too bad generally. It’s getting to the centre that’s the real bügger. Armley gyratory, the ring road, A65, Headingley, Horsforth, Kirkstall Rd, Rodley, ‘kin Apperley Bridge, Shipley, Baildon, the whole of Bradford…all like a gridlocked hell anywhere near rush hour or school pick-up times.

If I was coming from the east at that time I’d probably try and lunge in from York Rd but you’ll have to pack some Valium and chamomile to fight your way in.

That’s what happens when you try to drive into the largest city in Europe without a mass transport system.

Thanks all. I have some prior experience of driving in Leeds as I occassionally used to pick up/drop off my sister from the uni. My mum is originally from there and has to go back for funerals etc every now and again and avoids driving at all costs too so I just wanted a bit of local knowledge to try and beat the worst of the traffic. Annoyingly the hotel I’ve had booked for me is in the same area (across the road I think) so parking up and getting some sort of public transport in is out of the question too.

Just seen this. If you’re adamant about avoiding the worst of the M62, then I’d come off at Junction 32A (one past the old Ferrybridge turn-off for the old A1), take the A63 at junction 42 through Garforth, straight over the M1, through Cross Gates and then into the city centre via the A64. If you add Colton Retail Park as a via / stop on Google Maps it should give you this very route.

It’s still going to be busy, but should enable you to avoid any major motorway clusterfúcks as well as the worst of Leeds’ more complex road systems. It will also avoid the issues posed by the work to pedestrianise City Square, which may render some of your historic experience of driving in Leeds a bit redundant.

Parking generally isn’t cheap in the city centre but your best, secure options within walking distance are probably The Light (£28 for 24 hours) which is literally round the corner or John Lewis (£30) a bit further up the Headrow.

Hope this is useful. Let me know if you need any food and drink recommendations.

You could wait until he plays the new Sands Venue Blackpool on his never ending tour