The University and Union have decided to support the controversial Trolleybus scheme. The £250 million project will be backed by LUU following a consultation with students.

Leeds City Council proposed the scheme in the hope of reducing congestion, being quick, quieter and more environmentally friendly. The Trolleybus is a combination of a tram and bus, running on rubber tyres powered by overhead cables.

The idea went to the Better Union forums in February. The Union’s Community officer Frankie O’Byrne said: “Last year, our community reps held a consultation with over 90 students to ask them what they wanted from the scheme. They submitted this document as an idea to a Better Leeds forum and the panel voted to support the trolleybus scheme.”

If the scheme goes ahead, construction is due to begin in 2017, to be running by 2020. The planned route included stops at both Universities and the railway station.

The University has also agreed to support the scheme. A letter from Vice Chancellor Sir Alan Langlands, states: “Our campus plays host to some 33,000 students, plus academics and support staff, trying to access the city’s higher education institutions via congested roads and inadequate public transport systems. We believe that the NGT Trolley Vehicle System will make city centre travel much easier, rapidly and efficiently connecting people to key education and employment sites.”

A third year Broadcast Journalism student said: “My favourite barbers will have to close if it goes ahead.”

John Donnellan, a third year civil engineer told LS: “It’s one of the only major cities that relies on one mode of transport, buses. All other big cities have trams or underground or overground rail.”

Maddy Keating