A660 road

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A660
A660
	Otley Road, Headingley, looking NW
Route information
Length	10 mi (16 km)
Major junctions
South-east end	Leeds ; 53°48′10″N1°32′46″W / 53.8028°N 1.5460°W
	A58(M) (Leeds Inner Ring Road); A6120 road (Leeds Outer Ring Road); A658 ; A659 ; A65
North-west end	Burley-in-Wharfedale ; 53°54′42″N1°44′13″W / 53.9116°N 1.7369°W
Location
Country	United Kingdom
Road network
	Roads in the United Kingdom ; Motorways ; A and B road zones ;

Last updated October 21, 2023

The A660 is a major road in the Leeds and Bradford districts of West Yorkshire, England that runs from Leeds city centre to Burley-in-Wharfedale where it meets the A65. (The A65 also starts in Leeds and runs parallel to, and south of, the A660. It continues to Ilkley, Skipton, Settle and Kendal as a main trans-Pennine route.) The A660 is approximately 10 miles (16 km) long, and crosses the watershed from Airedale to lower Wharfedale. For most of its length the road is in the metropolitan district of the City of Leeds; the last 0.4 miles (0.6 km) is in City of Bradford district.

Route

Leeds city centre to Leeds Ring Road

The A660 starts in Leeds city centre, officially at the junction of Woodhouse Lane and Claypit Lane. The northbound carriageway passes Leeds Metropolitan University's "civic quarter" campus, crosses the A58(M) (Leeds Inner Ring Road), which is in a cutting, and passes the University of Leeds with its landmark tower. The southbound carriageway is separated, at one stage by several terraced streets. The carriageways combine before crossing Woodhouse Moor to Hyde Park. The road passes the buildings of Leeds Girls' High School and climbs to Headingley, passing St Michael's Church and many shops and bars including the Arndale Centre. Shortly after the church, a plaque shows the site of the original oak tree which gave its name to the wapentake of Skyrack ("Shire oak"): this is reflected in two pub names and nearby Shire Oak Road. The road continues through Far Headingley and West Park.

This stretch of the A660 was the route of the first tram service in Leeds (to Far Headingley) and is still a major bus corridor, with several peak hour bus lanes. It suffers from high congestion, and there were historic plans to create a Headingley bypass. Line 2 of the proposed Leeds Supertram was to be on this road, as is the "North Route" proposed in 2009 for New Generation Transport trolleybus service.^[1]

Many students live near the road, and its many licensed premises host the Otley Run pub crawl.^[2]

The road has several names in this section: Woodhouse Lane from Claypit Lane to Hyde Park (but Blenheim Walk for the separated southbound carriageway), Headingley Lane between Hyde Park and St Michael's church, Headingley, and Otley Road beyond this point.

Leeds Ring Road to A65

The A660 crosses the A6120 (Leeds Ring Road – officially Leeds Outer Ring Road) at Lawnswood, and then passes the western part of Adel. At Golden Acre Park the road crosses the Leeds Country Way footpath, which uses the underpass taking pedestrians from the car park to the park. The road passes east of the main part of Bramhope village, and the next major intersection is the A658 Bradford to Harrogate road: Pool Bank is a steep hill leading north-east from this junction down to Pool-in-Wharfedale. The road skirts the northern slopes of The Chevin before bypassing Otley to the south along the line of the former Otley and Ilkley Joint Railway (opened 1865, closed 1967). At the end of the Otley bypass the road crosses the A6038 (Otley to Bradford), and then follows the River Wharfe before joining the A65 at the roundabout at the start of the Burley-in-Wharfedale bypass.

About 0.4 miles (0.6 km) before its end, the road crosses into City of Bradford metropolitan district, having been in the City of Leeds district for the rest of its length. The road is only separated from the county of North Yorkshire by a few yards and the width of the river Wharfe, which here forms the county boundary.

The road is known as Otley Road until Golden Acre Park, then Leeds Road until the start of the Otley bypass.

History

In the early 18th century the main road from Leeds to Otley ran via Burley and Cookridge and over the top of The Chevin, while the road from Leeds to Headingley was only a country lane. The Leeds-Otley Turnpike Trust was established in 1755, and improved the road from Leeds to Headingley and thence to Cookridge to join the existing road. There were toll bars in Woodhouse Lane and at Otley, and in 1775 a third toll house was built in Headingley village. In 1836 the trustees commissioned George Hayward to design a new route to bypass the steep slopes of The Chevin. The necessary Act of Parliament was passed in 1837, and the new stretch of road was opened in 1842, following today's route along the north side of the hill. Tolls on the road were abolished in January 1867, following the Leeds Improvement Act 1866.^[3]

The first suburban horse-drawn bus service in Leeds was that to Far Headingley along this road, started in 1838, providing five services daily. The first horse-drawn tram in Leeds followed, in 1871.^[3] Fittingly, the number 1 bus service operated by First Leeds still runs on a route which includes the A660 from the city centre past Headingley and Lawnswood before turning off towards Holt Park.

Gallery of images along the A660 road

A660 near Otley, looking SE

Related Research Articles

Otley is a market town and civil parish at a bridging point on the River Wharfe, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the population was 13,668 at the 2011 census. It is in two parts: south of the river is the historic town of Otley and to the north is Newall, which was formerly a separate township. The town is in lower Wharfedale on the A660 road which connects it to Leeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Chevin</span> Hill in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

The Chevin is the ridge on the south side of Wharfedale in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, overlooking the market town of Otley, and often known as Otley Chevin.

Wharfedale is the valley of the upper parts of the River Wharfe and one of the Yorkshire Dales. It is situated in North Yorkshire, and the cities of Leeds and Bradford in West Yorkshire. It is the upper valley of the River Wharfe. Towns and villages in Wharfedale include Buckden, Kettlewell, Conistone, Grassington, Hebden, Bolton Abbey, Addingham, Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Otley, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Arthington, Collingham and Wetherby. Beyond Wetherby, the valley opens out and becomes part of the Vale of York.

The A65 is a major road in England. It runs north west from Leeds in West Yorkshire via Kirkstall, Horsforth, Yeadon, Guiseley, Ilkley and Skipton, west of Settle, Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale before terminating at Kendal in Cumbria.

West Park is a suburb of north-west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, north of Headingley. It is a mixed area of private suburban housing and suburban council estates. The name derives from its main park containing playing fields together with a conservation area of grassy meadow ending in woodland. The largest housing estate in West Park is Moor Grange.

The Harrogate line is a passenger rail line through parts of North Yorkshire and the West Yorkshire area of northern England connecting Leeds to York by way of Harrogate and Knaresborough. Service on the line is operated by Northern, with a few additional workings by London North Eastern Railway starting and terminating at Harrogate. West Yorkshire Metro's bus and rail MetroCard ticket is available for journeys between Leeds and Harrogate.

The A64 is a major road in North and West Yorkshire, England, which links Leeds, York and Scarborough. The A64 starts as the A64(M) ring road motorway in Leeds, then towards York it becomes a high-quality dual carriageway until it is east of the city, where it becomes a single carriageway for most of its route to Scarborough.

Menston is a village and civil parish in the City of Bradford in the county of West Yorkshire, England. Along with Burley in Wharfedale, most of Menston is within Wharfedale Ward in the metropolitan borough of Bradford. The remainder of Menston is in the Leeds City Council area. At the 2011 census it has a population of 4,498.

Menston railway station serves Menston in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. On the Wharfedale Line between Ilkley and Leeds/Bradford Forster Square, it is served by Class 331 and 333 electric trains run by Northern Trains, who also manage the station.

Burley in Wharfedale is a village and a civil parish in the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the Wharfedale valley. In 2011 it had a population of 7041.

The Otley Run is the name given to a pub crawl in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The popular route covers Far Headingley, Headingley and Hyde Park areas and commonly continues towards Leeds City Centre.

Lawnswood is a small suburb in the north west of the city of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. As such it is north north east of the West Yorkshire Urban Area. The suburb falls within the Adel and Wharefdale Ward of the City of Leeds Council.

Pool-in-Wharfedale or Pool in Wharfedale, usually abbreviated to Pool, is a village and civil parish in Lower Wharfedale, West Yorkshire, England, 10 miles (16 km) north of Leeds city centre, 11 miles (18 km) north-east of Bradford, and 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Otley. It is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, and within the historic boundaries of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Transport within Leeds consists of road, bus and rail networks. Leeds railway station is one of the busiest in Britain, and Leeds is connected to the national road network via the A1(M) motorway, M1 motorway and M62 motorway. The city is served by Leeds Bradford Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeds Country Way</span> Long-distance footpath in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

The Leeds Country Way is a circular long-distance footpath of 62 miles (99 km) around Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is never more than 7 miles (11 km) from City Square, Leeds, but is mainly rural with extensive views in the outlying areas of the Leeds metropolitan district. It follows public Rights of Way including footpaths, bridleways and minor lanes, with a few short sections along roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 Leeds City Council election</span>

The 1980 Leeds City Council election took place on 1 May 1980 to elect members of Leeds City Council in England.

The Wharfedale Greenway is a proposed cycleway, footpath and equestrian route which will run along the route of the former Otley and Ilkley Joint Railway between Burley in Wharfedale and Pool in Wharfedale via Otley, West Yorkshire, England. The railway previously connected the extant Wharfedale and Harrogate lines until its closure in 1965. It will also have a branch southwards towards Menston alongside the remaining railway to Ilkley. The rail trail has been planned by Sustrans and the parish councils along the route since 2010 and was approved by Leeds City Council in July 2020.

References

↑ "NGT North Route". New Generation Transport. 2009. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
↑ "CSV INteraction: Swapping pints for plimsolls". BBC Radio Leeds. 6 March 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
1 2 Bradford, Eveleigh (2008). "6: The Otley Road". Headingley "This pleasant rural village". Northern Heritage Publications. pp. 91–114. ISBN 978-1-906600-32-7.

External links

53°52′45″N1°36′18″W / 53.8793°N 1.6049°W / 53.8793; -1.6049 (A660 road)

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[1] "NGT North Route". New Generation Transport. 2009. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2009.

[2] "CSV INteraction: Swapping pints for plimsolls". BBC Radio Leeds. 6 March 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2009.

[Bradford-3] 1 2 Bradford, Eveleigh (2008). "6: The Otley Road". Headingley "This pleasant rural village". Northern Heritage Publications. pp. 91–114. ISBN 978-1-906600-32-7.

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[2]

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v t e A roads in Zone 6 of the Great Britain road numbering scheme
	A6 A60 A61 A62 A63 A64 A65 A66 A67 A68 A69
	A602 A605 A606 A607 A610 A612 A614 A616 A617 A624 A625 A626 A628 A629 A630 A631 A632 A635 A636 A638 A640 A642 A643 A647 A650 A657 A658 A660 A661 A666 A671 A678 A684 A685 A686 A688 A689 A690 A695 A696 A697
	A6003 A6023 A6030 A6055 A6079 A6102 A6105 A6108 A6121 A6135 A6136 A6177 A6178 A6182 A6187
List of A roads in Zone 6 List of B roads in Zone 6