The UK has landed it’s first ever solar-powered ‘park and ride’ based in Leeds. The new project was designed to cut out carbon dioxide emissions and reduce traffic congestion going into Leeds city centre. 

The brand new £38.5 million solar powered car park, which opened this month, provides cycle storage and 1200 vehicle spaces. The new car park has also been fitted with solar panels. Energy utilised from the solar panels will also power the terminal building, 26 electric vehicle charging points and street lighting . Electric buses are also available to jump on within the car park every ten minutes to take park and riders down to the city centre. 

The car park, designed by Mott MacDonald, includes extensive landscaping features including hedges, plants and evergreen trees to encourage a clean and green site. 

As well as reducing carbon emissions, the car park also provides affordable and accessible transport options into the city for residents from nearby neighbourhoods which will improve access to employment and educational opportunities. 

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“Being able to launch the UK’s first solar-powered park and ride is a massive achievement for Leeds and a major boost to both the local environment, economy, and the city’s public transport infrastructure, This is a step forward in tackling the climate emergency and our wider aim of transforming the Leeds City Region into a net zero carbon economy by 2038” said Tracy Brabin, mayor of West Yorkshire. 

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The park and ride is part of wider plans to see the Leeds city region become a net-zero carbon economy by 2038.

Could this be the beginning of introducing park and rides’ in every city?

Other cities such as Cambridgeshire are looking at the possibility of having solar powered park and ride carports. Oxford City Council and Northumberland County Council have already installed solar powered car parks. Whilst solar powered car parks are becoming increasingly popular, we are yet to see these take effect in every city.