DRIVING CHANGE THROUGH OUR NEW SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT PLAN

At Thorpe Park Leeds, we’ve always believed that great places are defined not just by buildings, but by the way people connect to them. That’s why we’re proud to launch our new Sustainable Transport Plan – an ambitious five-year strategy to reduce car dependency, improve access to low-carbon travel, and support everyone who works or visits here in achieving a greener way of commuting.

This plan, developed in collaboration with TPS Transport Consultants, sets out a clear commitment: we’re aiming to reduce single-occupancy car journeys by at least 10% by 2029. It’s a challenge we’re embracing head-on by improving infrastructure, expanding services, and working closely with our occupiers to make sustainable travel the natural choice.

With over 7,500 people working across the park, how we get to and from work each day makes a real difference. Our focus is on shifting the balance – so that walking, cycling and public transport become the preferred options for as many people as possible. That shift will be supported significantly by the arrival of the new Thorpe Park railway station, scheduled to open in 2027, providing direct access to Leeds city centre in under eight minutes.

As Adam Varley, our Development Director, explains:

“Our sustainable transport vision for Thorpe Park Leeds extends to more than just a planning requirement. Over the last ten years we have invested heavily in upgrading the local infrastructure, providing a more efficient road network, creating new cycle routes and walkways, and supporting a regular bus service directly through the site.

“These provisions have improved traveller choices with some 17% recently stating in response to a site-wide survey that they make sustainable travel choices when commuting to Thorpe Park Leeds, as an alternative to the car. The arrival of a new railway station on site, proposed to be operational in 2027, will most certainly provide an even more diverse range of sustainable travel choices for the communities of East Leeds, along with communities who make onward journeys into Leeds city centre and beyond.

“Thorpe Park Leeds embodies a forward-thinking vision for a business destination, integrating efficient workspaces with vibrant retail and leisure amenities along with extensive public realm. Central to this is our strong commitment to sustainable practice where promoting active travel, public transport, and sustainable vehicle use are not just options, but the preferred choices for commuters.”

We’ve already made big strides. Our bus corridor runs frequent, developer-subsidised services to and from the city centre. We’re directly connected to regional rail stations and National Cycle Network Route 66 runs through the heart of the site. A growing number of people are walking or cycling from nearby communities like Austhorpe, Colton, Seacroft and Garforth.

But this plan is about looking forward. Over the next few years, we’ll be helping occupiers develop bespoke travel plans, improving our cycling facilities, expanding EV infrastructure, and exploring smarter ways to manage car parking. We’ll also continue to grow our ParkLife platform, which already offers free bike servicing, corporate travel discounts, travel events, journey planning tools, and access to our Bicycle User Group.

We’re also making sure our progress is measurable. Through annual travel surveys and KPIs, we’ll be tracking how travel habits evolve and how much carbon we’re able to save together. Based on our most recent survey in 2024, 68% of employees currently drive alone to work. However, once hybrid working is factored in, that number drops to 37% on a typical working day – with around 40% already using public transport, walking, cycling or car sharing.

John Hacker, Director at TPS, reflects on the journey so far:

“Since its establishment in 2000, Thorpe Park Leeds has successfully adopted and matured its sustainable travel plan, which is now deeply integrated into the operational ethos of the park. This latest version of that travel plan, taking us up to 2029, focuses on a collaborative framework involving both site-wide management and individual businesses working in tandem to promote and achieve a shared vision and objectives to achieving Net Zero.

“Across the entire Park of around 7,500 employees, 4 in 10 people chose not to commute by car which is quite impressive for an out of town business park.”

As one of the North’s most connected mixed-use destinations, we see sustainable travel as essential – not just for environmental reasons, but because it supports healthier, more vibrant communities. With strong foundations already in place and an exciting future ahead, we’re ready to keep pushing forward.

If you’re based here at Thorpe Park Leeds and want to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can make sustainable travel the easy choice – and take real steps toward a cleaner, greener future.