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Driving into Leeds city centre: alternative routes

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Plan ahead - alternative routes

Leeds City Square is now closed to general traffic meaning that only buses, emergency vehicles, hackney taxis, pedestrians and cycle users can access City Square. General traffic (like cars, motorcycles and private hire vehicles) can no longer access City Square.

If you do need to drive into the city centre, please be mindful that access to some destinations has changed. Plan ahead to avoid being affected by bus gates now in operation on East Parade, King Street, Infirmary Street, City Square and Neville Street.

If you’re using a SatNav device, make sure to update the mapping (if required) to avoid being routed via restricted routes where bus gates are now in operation.

Access to/from the city centre should be via the Ring Road and then a relevant junction or link. More information and alternative routes can be found below.

Access and diversion routes

View access and diversion routes, including routes for motorists who can travel to their destination without driving through the city centre. The maps are also easily printable as pdf documents at the bottom of the page.

Diversion routes

Motorists who can travel to their destination without driving through the city centre are encouraged to consider a number of diversionary routes.

These involve using junctions 4 and 2 of the M621, depending on your destination of travel.

Junction 4 - travel along the A61. From there, use East Street to travel into the southern part of the city centre, or follow Marsh Lane to join the A64(M) ring road and access the northern part of the city centre.
Junction 2 - travel along the A643 including the Armley Gyratory before joining the A58. Use the A58 and A58(M) ring road to access the northern part of the city.

Motorists who must use junction 3 of the M621 to travel into the city centre are urged to follow Great Wilson Street and Hunslet Road to join the diversionary route at South Accommodation Road.

In all instances, motorists are encouraged to plan their journey in advance and allow extra time, or consider alternative ways to travel like using the Park & Ride from Stourton, Elland Road or Temple Green.

Parking

Blue badge parking

Blue badge parking is available across the city centre. Visit this page for more information on where blue badge holders can and can’t park and an interactive map highlighting 131 available spaces across 26 locations in the city centre.

Car parks

It's still easy to access car parks in the city centre. Use the directions below for routes to car parks. The maps also show diversion routes into the city.

Access to car parks in the city centre

Car parks in the north of the city centre (Woodhouse Lane, Merrion, St Johns, The Core, The Light, Q-Park Albion Street)

From M621 J4 - follow the A61 and then Marsh Lane before joining the A64(M) ring road westbound. Exit the A64(M) as directed by permanent signage to the First Direct Arena. Turn left onto A660 Woodhouse Lane and follow the road into the city centre before following signs for car parks.

Alternatively, leave the M621 at Junction 2 and follow the A643 before joining the A58 and briefly the A58(M) Inner Ring Road, before leaving to rejoin the A58 onto Westgate. Turn left onto Oxford Place and then right onto Great George St, before following signs for car parks.

Car parks in the east of the city centre (NCP Kirkgate Market, Victoria Gate)

Leave the M621 at J4 following the A61. Stay left to follow the A61 on to St Peter’s Street and follow signs for car parks.

Car parks in the south of the city centre (Q-Park Sovereign Square, Trinity)

Leave the M621 at Junction 4, following the A61. Stay left to join East Street and onto Kirkgate, High Court, The Calls, Call Lane, and then Sovereign Street. From here, follow signs for car parks.

Car parks in the west of the city centre (Wellington Place, West St, Wellington St)

Leave the M621 at Junction 2 and follow the A643 before joining the A58 and briefly the A58(M) Inner Ring Road, before leaving to rejoin the A58. Exit the A58 following signs for rail station and city centre. Once on Wellington Street follow signs for car parks.

Key destinations

Below are directions to key destinations throughout the city. In most instances we've provided more than one route depending on whether you would use junction 2 or 4 of the M621.

Leeds City Railway Station

From M621 J2 - follow the A643 and turn left for Wortley Lane. At the roundabout turn left onto Domestic Road then left at the next roundabout onto A58 Domestic Street. At the next roundabout continue straight on to Spence Lane and Whitehall Road and follow signs to the Station.
Alternatively from M621 J2 - follow the A643 before joining the A58(M) Inner Ring Road. Exit the A58(M) to Wellington Street and follow signs to the Station via Northern Street and Whitehall Road.

Get more information about the scheme and routes on this page.

Leeds General Infirmary

From M621 J2 - follow the A643 before joining the A58(M) Inner Ring Road. Leave the A58(M) onto Park Lane and continue onto Westgate. Turn left onto Oxford Place, right to Great George St then left onto Calverley St. From Calverley Street turn left to Clarendon Way to access the LGI multi-storey car park.
From M621 J4 - follow the A61 and then Marsh Lane before joining the A64(M) westbound ring road. Exit the A64(M) as directed by permanent signage to the hospital and continue to Portland Way. Turn right onto Calverley St then onto Clarendon Way to access the LGI multi-storey car park.

St James’ Hospital

If travelling from the M621 southwest of Leeds - continue past J2 and J3. From M621 J4 follow the A61 and then Marsh Lane and continue under the A64(M) to Beckett Street. St James’ multi-storey car park and public parking is available off Beckett St.
From M621 J4 - following the A61 and then Marsh Lane and continue under the A64(M) to Beckett Street. St James’ Multi Storey Car Park and public parking is available off Beckett St.

Victoria Gate

Leave the M621 at Junction 4, following the A61. Stay left to follow the A61 on to St Peter’s Street. At the roundabout, turn left onto the Victoria Gate multi-storey car park.
If travelling from the M621 southwest of Leeds – continue past J2 and J3. leave the M621 at Junction 4, following the A61. Stay left to follow the A61 on to St Peter’s Street. At the roundabout, turn left onto the Victoria multi-storey car park.

Woodhouse Lane Multi Storey Car Park

From M621 J2 - follow the A643 before joining the A58(M) Inner Ring Road. Continue on the A58(M) and exit following signs for First Direct Arena.
From M621 J4 - follow the A61 and then Marsh Lane before joining the A64(M) ring road westbound. Exit the A64(M) as directed by permanent signage to the First Direct Arena.

Leeds Playhouse, Leeds Grand and City Varieties

Leave the M621 at Junction 4, following the A61. Stay left to follow the A61 on to St Peter’s Street. At the roundabout, turn left into the multi-storey car park or onto Eastgate.

Universities

From M621 J2 - follow the A643 before joining the A58(M) Inner Ring Road. Leave the A58(M) onto Park Lane - Park Lane – Westgate – Oxford Place – Great George St – Calverley St. From Calverley Street continue to Willow Terrace Road then Vernon Road to the University of Leeds Multi Storey Car Park or turn right onto Portland Street and follow signs for the public multi-storey car park on Woodhouse Lane
Alternatively (University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University): from J4 following the A61 and then Marsh Lane before joining the A64(M) ring road – exit the A64(M) as directed by permanent signage to universities. From the A64(M) exit continue to Portland Way to Calverley St to Willow Terrace Road then Vernon Road to the University of Leeds Multi Storey Car Park or turn left into the public multi-storey car park on Woodhouse Lane.

Kirkgate Market and Bus Station

Leave the M621 at Junction 4, following the A61. Stay left to follow the A61 on to St Peter’s Street and turn left onto York Street towards the NCP multi-storey car park, or alternatively continue onto the roundabout, turning left into the Victoria Gate multi-storey car park. To pick up people from outside the bus station, follow St Peter’s Street and at roundabout turn left onto Eastgate before then turning left onto Vicar Lane and left onto George Street and Dyer Street.

First Direct Arena

From M621 J2 - follow the A643 before joining the A58(M) Inner Ring Road. Continue on the A58(M) and exit following signs for First Direct Arena.
From M621 J4 follow the A61 and then Marsh Lane before joining the A64(M) ring road westbound. Exit the A64(M) as directed by permanent signage to the First Direct Arena.

Trinity Leeds

Leave the M621 at Junction 4, following the A61. Stay left to join East Street and onto Kirkgate, High Court, The Calls, Call Lane, and then Sovereign Street. From here, follow signs for car parks.

The Light

Leave the M621 at Junction 2 and follow the A643 before joining the A58 and briefly the A58(M) Inner Ring Road, leaving to rejoin the A58 onto Westgate. Turn left onto Oxford Place and then right onto Great George St. Follow Great George St before turning right onto Dudley Way.

The Core

From M621 J4 - follow the A61 and then Marsh Lane before joining the A64(M) ring road westbound. Exit the A64(M) as directed by permanent signage to the First Direct Arena. Turn left onto A660 Woodhouse Lane and follow the road into the city centre before following signs for car parks.
Alternatively, leave the M621 at Junction 2 and follow the A643 before joining the A58 and briefly the A58(M) Inner Ring Road, before leaving to rejoin the A58 onto Westgate. Turn left onto Oxford Place and then right onto Great George St, before following signs for car parks.

Royal Armouries

Leave the M621 at J4 following the A61. Take the exit for the A639 from the A61 and turn left onto A639 Hunslet Road and follow signs for the Royal Armouries via South Accommodation Road and Clarence Road.