"FLAWED" plans to build a rail station at Leeds Bradford Airport are in disarray, according to MP Greg Mulholland.

The MP, who represents Leeds North West, is accusing Leeds City Council of not being honest about its "half-baked" Parkway Station proposals.

But his claims are being branded as "the same old nonsense" by the council's Executive Member for Regeneration, Transport and Planning, Cllr Richard Lewis.

Mr Mulholland asked the council to answer 14 specific questions about the proposals. He says the findings show that the council does now know whether buildings will need to be demolished or Compulsory Purchase Orders used, nor does it know how much parking provision will be needed. The MP says no studies have been undertaken to help predict traffic flows, and no consultation has been carried out with local residents on the impacts of increased traffic.

He says the council has yet to agree funding with the Department of Transport for the project.

He argued: "The reality is that far from being a convenient and cost effective idea, the Parkway Station and 500 space Park and Ride is costly, reliant on new roads and concretes all over the Green Belt. When people realise what these plans actually mean, they will realise that as well as not being a real rail link to the airport, it also is a deeply flawed idea.

"It is extraordinary that as part of their weak and unambitious plans for spending the one off amount of £173.5 Government funding, Leeds City Council are proposing a parkway station yet they haven't done any of the basic planning for such a scheme. They don't know if Compulsory Purchase Orders will be required or even if any existing buildings will need to be demolished. No assessment has been done of potential traffic flows and there is no proper understanding of how traffic will access the new station.

"The truth of course is that the huge footprint of a station, park and ride and road link will destroy farmland and will cause rush hour traffic havoc as well as preventing Leeds Bradford Airport ever getting the proper rail link it needs.

Cllr Richard Lewis, Executive Member for Regeneration, Transport and Planning said: "This is the same old nonsense from Mr Mulholland. He’s taken the cake out of the oven, thrown the contents around and then claimed it was half baked

"Like the letter to him very clearly states- we have done the work necessary to make a submission to government for the funds they have promised us. We’re waiting to hear back from the Department of Transport and once we have we will move ahead with these plans- including the detailed work Mr Mulholland is clearly so desperate that we complete.

“But let’s get back to the key point- Mr Mulholland wants practically every last penny of public transport improvements to be spent building a rail line to the airport. This isn’t reasonable for the bus users who need infrastructure investment to bring their services up to scratch or rail users who would benefit from a nearby station, now is it?”