A HIGH-TECH scheme to improve traffic flow on the congested A65 is set to be launched with more than £2 million of Government funding.

The scheme, which will affect Aireborough, Horsforth, and Kirkstall, aims to use smarter technology to link signals to all up to date information on traffic conditions. It is hoped the new system will cut delays and emissions.

The A65 corridor is seen as a useful "proving ground" for the SCOOT technology and other improvements which will then be put to wider use in the city.

The plan was due to be discussed at a meeting of Leeds City Council's Executive Board yesterday (Wednesday). Members were expected to approve the spending of a £2.16 million Department of Transport grant over a two year period. Construction on the scheme is set to start in September this year and it should be fully operational by March 2020.

A report to the board from the Director of City Development said: "As part of the Leeds transport strategy the Council is developing and upgrading its traffic signal control systems to meet the challenges of a growing 'core city'.

It added: "SCOOT will help to reduce congestion along strategic routes by adapting traffic signal timings to variations in traffic flow. The system will be implemented with a bus priority enhancement module (Bus SCOOT) to improve bus journey time reliability.

SCOOT will also improve coordination between traffic signal controlled junctions for

general traffic, reducing the number of stops that vehicles have to make. "

According to the report research for Transport for London showed a 12.7 per cent reduction in delay when the system was introduced there.

The report said: "Traffic on major roads in Leeds has risen by approximately 12 per cent between 2000 and 2015. The congestion experienced in North West Leeds for all vehicles is some of the worst in the district."

It adds: "The A65 corridor, with the various junction types and challenges, will provide an extremely useful proving ground for the SCOOT technology and other traffic signal

control enhancements planned for implementation. The understanding gained from

this scheme will be put to wider use in Leeds and within forthcoming programmes

now in development as part of the LPTIP (Public Transport Investment Programme)."

Otley and Yeadon councillors have welcomed the plans.

"The new scheme is a method of linking the traffic signals to all the data on current traffic flows," said Cllr Campbell. "This allows the signals to automatically adapt to traffic conditions and to adjust traffic lights to reduce delay and congestion."

Cllr Downes added: "There will be an additional bus SCOOT system designed to speed up bus journeys, through the use of transponders on the buses. It will automatically know where buses are and if they are being delayed. It then controls the signals to help the buses move more quickly through the system."

Cllr Lay said: "The scheme also includes upgraded pedestrian detection technology. This will provide benefits for pedestrians/cyclists and vehicular traffic by reducing the 'green time' on pedestrian crossings when no one wants to cross.

"The implementation of SCOOT should reduce delay to general traffic on the networks but because of the large number of cars using the A65 there will still be delays getting into and out of Leeds."