Latest news with #TracyBrabin
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Plans to axe six West Yorkshire school bus routes moves ahead
Plans to axe six school bus routes in West Yorkshire have been confirmed, prompting criticism from councillors. West Yorkshire Combined Authority said last week it was considering cutting three buses in Bradford, one in Calderdale and two in Leeds from September each case, the authority said there were either alternate public transport services available, or that most children would be able to walk or cycle to a meeting on Thursday, members of the Combined Authority voted to approve the cuts but said they would "engage with affected schools to plan for proposed changes to services". The proposals came after a review of the school routes the authority subsidises, with West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin stating: "As we look to improve transport across West Yorkshire, we want to ensure services are equitable for all."Leeds Lib Dem councillor Stewart Golton said: "The primary driver behind this is presented as it being an issue of equity – that some parts are getting more than others."I believe instead of negotiating down, we should try to life everyone up to an equal benefit."According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Brabin said the planned franchised bus service – the Weaver Network - would improve buses across the board when it is introduced in 2027 and "connect young people to places they have never been connected to before". The services facing the axe include: B50 Eldwick to Beckfoot SchoolB99 Bradford city centre to Appleton AcademyS64 Baildon to Titus Salt School or S66 Baildon Primary to Titus Salt SchoolC6 Crossley Heath GrammarS62 Cockburn SchoolSM25 Ilkley to St Mary's MenstonThe WYCA has previously said it currently has arrangements in place for 328 buses carrying up to 20,000 pupils per day at a cost of £18.99m a year, of which 45% is funded by the combined remaining costs are funded by income from fares, council's across West Yorkshire and schools. 'Attacking choice' Tim Taylor, director of transport services, said Leeds and Bradford currently received higher subsidies for school buses than areas like Lamb, a Conservative councillor representing Wetherby, described the cuts as "an attack on choice".Pointing out that the authority had said some families would be able to walk and cycle to school if the routes were cut, he said: "If walking and cycling was the best option for children they'd already be doing it."It is not for this authority to make that decision for them."Ms Brabin acknowledged the changes could prove "stressful" but said the WYCA would work with schools between now and September 2026 to mitigate the changes. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
7 days ago
- BBC News
Alfie Lewis: Murdered boy's aunt urges action on knife crime
The aunt of a murdered schoolboy has said she is determined to stop other families experiencing the "indescribable" pain of losing someone to knife Lewis, 15, died in hospital after being stabbed in the heart and leg in Church Road, Horsforth, in November Shojaeifard, who was 14 when he killed Alfie, was detained for life with a minimum term of 13 years after being convicted of murder in aunt Mechelle Lewis was speaking at a consultation in Harehills as part of West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin's campaign to tackle serious violence. "Alfie was taken from us so cruelly and that we cannot change, but we can stand together, united with a voice and with conviction to make a change," Ms Lewis said."So, we are working alongside the mayor and community, with a call to do exactly that, make changes. Together and unified, we rise, reshape and rebuild."The new three R's for our education system."We will not allow Alfie's life to have been taken in vain." The event featured personal stories, workshops and discussions aimed at combating violence, with people invited to share their views, experiences, ideas and solutions to help shape a new strategy."I am just relieved we are finally at a point that we have a voice on a megaphone scale instead of whispering in the dark," Ms Lewis said many people were trying to get to the same point in tackling the issues but were doing so independently, when everyone needed to be "singing from the same hymn sheet"."I feel this platform is giving us an opportunity to do that."As part of this work, Ms Lewis is also collaborating with Leeds-based RedBobble to create Arts on Alfie: Forever 15 - a trauma-informed, multi-arts aims to reduce knife carrying and prevent youth knife crime through drama and art."It's verbatim, so you hear actual words you are kind of there, it takes you to the place," Ms Lewis said."If you are engaging with it and actually part of it, you can say 'OK, just pause for a moment' and say at this point 'what would you have chosen to do differently' and then the child can engage in that." 'Void will never be filled' Describing Alfie as a "beautiful boy", Ms Lewis said people needed to understand what happened to him could happen to any child."He was a child who would never have carried a weapon, so for him to be taken so tragically and so violently, it blows the mind."There is just not a big enough awareness out there and an understanding that it is prolific."We all need to know what our children are doing, what they are listening to and who they are interacting with."She said the work to tackle knife crime was in her view "Alfie's legacy" but said his death had left a "void that will never, ever be filled".Ms Lewis said moving forward she hoped the family and especially his mother would know that he had "not died in vain"."That we will make a difference to stop other families experiencing this, there's a depth of pain that's indescribable - until you live it you will not understand it," she said."So let's be unified with a vision for our youth to no longer carry knives, no longer feel they have a fear and they need to." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
West Yorks mayor meets Daisy the Lurcher at Dogs Trust Leeds
A canine charity warmly welcomed the mayor of West Yorkshire last week, when she met the "happy hounds" in its care. Mayor Tracy Brabin visited Dogs Trust Leeds and toured its rehoming centre, as well as discussing animal welfare issues with staff. She also met Doris, a pregnant Jack Russell Terrier found as a stray; and Daisy the Lurcher, who has been in the charity's care for nearly a year. Ms Brabin said: "It was great to visit Dogs Trust last week and see the important work they do in rehoming our furry friends. "I'm a dog lover myself, so it's wonderful to see these dogs cared for so well until they find their forever home." The team spoke with Ms Brabin about their work in the community, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on dog behaviour, and the need for more pet-friendly housing. The recent passing in the House of Commons of the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets) Bill was also discussed. Before becoming mayor of West Yorkshire, Ms Brabin won the Westminster Dog of the Year competition with her Labrador, Rocky. More information about Dogs Trust Leeds is available at
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Investing in destruction': campaigners attack plans to fill Yorkshire tunnel with concrete
Campaigners hoping to convert a disused railway line into England's longest cycle and pedestrian tunnel are challenging a government decision to fill much of the historic structure with concrete. Earlier this month ministers decided to award several million pounds to permanently shutter the Queensbury tunnel built in the 1870s for a railway between Halifax and Keighley in West Yorkshire, despite spending £7.2m to shore up the structure less than four years ago. The government has agreed to fund plans to infill the tunnel for safety reasons, by the roads agency, National Highways, (NH) which is responsible for maintaining the historic railway estate. The decision comes after the agency was widely criticised for 'cultural vandalism' over the infilling of Victorian bridges on the railway estate. In 2023 it was forced to reverse burying in concrete a Victorian bridge in Great Musgrave, Cumbria on the route of a scheme to join two heritage railway lines. The mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, who backed calls to reopen the 1.4 mile tunnel which was closed to railway in 1956, has expressed disappointment at the government's decision. In 2021, while standing at the entrance of the tunnel, she described plans for a subterrain cycle path linking Bradford and Keighley to Halifax as a 'great facility for our community.' Campaigners accused the government of 'investing in destruction' and ignoring the views of 8,000 planning objections to the plan to infill the tunnel. They are due to meet Lilian Greenwood, the minister for the future of roads, next week to urge her to reverse the decision. In a letter to campaigners, Greenwood said converting the tunnel for cycling would be too costly in 'the challenging fiscal environment' and that 'safety risks need to be addressed.' Today we welcomed West Yorkshire mayoral candidate @TracyBrabin and Bradford South MP @JudithCummins to the tunnel to discuss the benefits of a #BradfordHalifaxGreenway with a tourist spur to Haworth/ we're serious about #ActiveTravel, we have to make this happen. NH's contractors estimate it would cost £26.4m to convert the tunnel. But campaigners have dismissed this figure as 'gold-plated' and claim the tunnel could be brought back into use as a greenway for only £13.7m – not much more than the £7.2m spent to shore it up from 2018 to 2021 including at least £3.3m now required to infill the structure. They also point to a study by the charity Sustrans published earlier this year which found the proposed route would generate £3 in social, economic and tourism benefits for every £1 spent on it. Norah McWilliam, the leader of the Queensbury Tunnel Society, said: 'The government is making and investment in destruction to satisfy the needs of a roads body that only cares about its own narrow interests. Community aspirations to bring positive benefits from our fabulous historic asset mean nothing to these spreadsheet shufflers.' She added: 'These new millions and the seven lost in a black hole four years ago could have paid for the tunnel's repair, safeguarding it for a role at the heart of an inspiring and sustainable active travel network - something Bradford and West Yorkshire could be proud of.' Graeme Bickerdike, the engineering coordinator for the society, said: 'The minister claims that her decision is based on a 'full view of the facts', but the evidence seems to have come exclusively from National Highways which has a proven track record for exaggerating risk, misrepresenting condition evidence and frittering away public funds. 'There is no justification for another costly tunnel intervention at this time as the 2018-21 works have reduced what was already a low risk profile.' Brabin said she shared the disappointment of campaigners, but said she understood the government's decision. She said: 'To ensure everyone's safety the government had to act quickly to secure the site, and the realities of public finances meant a difficult decision needed to be made. 'We remain committed to helping support alternative routes for walking, wheeling and cycling between Bradford and Calderdale.'
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
Recruitment opens for police custody scrutinisers in West Yorkshire
Members of the public are being invited to help protect the rights and welfare of people in police custody in West Yorkshire. The scheme, operated locally by Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, sees volunteer Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) make unannounced visits to custody suites to check on the dignity of detainees. ICVs are independent of the police service. Alison Lowe OBE, deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: "Independent custody visitors play a crucial role in checking that people in police cells are being looked after safely, with the right care and support. "It is important that independent safeguards are in place for those who are detained, and that they can expect a consistently high standard. "If you want to make a difference and become part of our incredible team, please get in touch." ICVs observe and report on the conditions of custody suites and check that detainees are being properly looked after. They also ensure detainees understand their rights and entitlements. Long-term volunteer Val said: "Being an ICV gives me an incredible sense of purpose." The scheme covers Wakefield, Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees, and Calderdale. Recruitment is open until Sunday, September 28, 2025. For more information, visit
