A PROPOSED airport relief road should be the start point for an Aireborough bypass, a ward councillor is arguing.

Guiseley and Rawdon member, Graham Latty, also wants Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) to be asked to pay its share of the cost of the new road, which could be as much as £75 million.

Cllr Latty made his comments after spending three hours at a well-attended relief road consultation in Rawdon at the weekend.

Leeds City Council (LCC) is holding a series of consultation events to allow the public to find out more about three possible options, with price tags ranging from £15 million to £75 million.

Cllr Latty said many people are unhappy there was no fourth option – that of simply doing nothing.

He added: "Obviously, I, like any other resident, would prefer not to have all the disruption, upheaval and loss of greenbelt a new road would entail.

"But, that is not presently an option, and I believe we have to deal with the hand we are being dealt. A road is being proposed and, if one does happen, I would want it to do the least damage and produce something positive. In other words, be a road that went from the A65 to the airport without any junctions, and after that should be treated as the start point for an Aireborough bypass.

"I would also want to see the airport pay its share of the cost of a road from which it would be a major beneficiary. That is not supporting the proposal to build a road, it is making the most of a road if it does happen."

The proposals have drawn criticism, but LCC has defended its plans, and is stressing the schemes will not only improve road access to the airport but will also reduce congestion on the A65 and A658 Harrogate Road.

LCC says it is also examining the possibility of a rail link in the long term, in connection with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and LBA.

l Town councillors in Otley will comment on the link road consultation when the planning sub-committee meets at Otley Core Resource Centre at 7pm on Monday.

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