How to safely travel to and from work at Wellington Place
With many companies planning to reopen their offices over the coming weeks, we caught up with our dedicated Travel Plan coordinator, Charlotte Best, for the most up-to-date advice on commuting safely.
As we slowly return to the workplace you may be considering a more active commute, for example walking or cycling, whether that be for all or just part of your journey.
Click here for the latest travel discounts available to Wellington Place occupiers.
Walk to work
If you plan on walking to work, it’s worth planning your route by using a route planner such as Google Maps or Walkit.
These journey planners can help you find direct, quieter or new routes to keep your commute interesting. It’s also helpful to have the right kit – comfortable shoes, a raincoat or umbrella and backpack are must-haves – just in case you have lots to carry or get caught in the rain!
It’s also important to be mindful of your safety, especially if you’re planning on walking a new route. Click here for safety tips when walking to work.
Cycle to work
One of the great things about cycling is as long as you have a bike, you are good to go!
You can use online journey planning tools such as the CityConnect journey planner or a local cycle map to plan your cycle journey to Wellington Place.
Our Cycle Rider Leader, Richard, has some useful tips and advice if you are considering taking to two wheels for your daily commute here.
There’s also lots of helpful information available online from British Cycling through their ‘Commute Smart’ series which covers all aspects of commuting by bike, whether you’re an experienced commuter or cycling to work for the first time.
Once you arrive on site, facilities such as bike parking and a bike repair station are available for you to use. We’re also working to ensure that shower and changing facilities will soon be made available for you to safely use.
Travel by Public Transport
If you are planning on travelling to Wellington Place by public transport, there are a few handy tips and things to consider before beginning your journey:
Planning your journey:
There is a number of online journey planning tools and websites available which offer real-time information updates, timetabling and ticketing options.
If you’re travelling from anywhere in West Yorkshire using public transport, you can use the WY Metro Journey Planner to plan your route to Wellington Place. Alternatively, you can use Google Maps to plan your route from A to B and compare all the options available to you by selecting the public transport icon.
Operators also have apps that will list out your travel options, including details of the near bus stops and walking routes. The app will tell you which service to catch, where from, what time, and how long your journey will last, but don’t that the app will only list services provided by that public transport operator.
Alternatively, if you are not certain of the times you will be travelling or would like to know more about the frequency of a service, timetables are useful. The easiest way to access timetables is by visiting the website of the public transport operator or by visiting the WY Metro website and selecting ‘rail or bus’.
Understanding your ticket options:
Whether you are planning on travelling to Wellington Place everyday or easing into a more flexible way of working, there are a number of ways to pay for your journey, along with some big savings to be made.
Click here for information on travel discounts available.
On your journey: Whilst on your journey, it’s important to follow the latest government guidance. This includes maintaining social distancing from others, wearing a face mask on public transport and in transport hubs such as a rail station (unless you are exempt), and using contactless payments where possible.
Completing your journey: When finishing your journey, you should follow guidance at your destination and remember to wash your hands as soon as possible for at least 20 seconds.
Park & Ride:
A cheaper and convenient way to travel to and from work at Wellington Place is by Park & Ride.
There are three Park & Ride sites in Leeds, located at Elland Road, Temple Green and Stourton.
Park & Ride offers great value for money – parking is FREE and the bus costs just £4 per day, £3.60 if you buy 5,10 or 20 days on a smartcard, or £580* for the year if you sign up for the First Commuter Travel Club here.
*Exclusive to Travel Plan Network (TPN) members. Price correct at time of writing.
- Driving from the west or south? Use Elland Road Park & Ride (PR1) next to the football stadium. There are 1350 car parking spaces available for use, including 8 spaces for electric vehicles.
- Driving from the east or north? Use Temple Green Park & Ride (PR2) on the A63 off junction 45 of the M1.
- Driving from the south and southwest? Use Stourton Park (PR3) & Ride at Junction 7 on the M621.
The journey from all sites takes around 10-15 minutes to travel into Leeds city centre. The closest stop to Wellington Place depends on which of the three route you are travelling:
- The PR1 service directly serves Wellington Place from stop Wellington N on Whitehall Road, as shown on this map. The PR1 also serves stop TP on Boar Lane.
- The closest bus stop for the PR2 service is stop TL on Lower Briggate, as shown on this map.
- The closest bus stop for the PR3 service is stop TK on Lower Briggate, as shown on this map.
More details are available here, including timetables and opening times.
Rail-based Park & Ride also exists at Apperley Bridge, Kirkstall Forge and Low Moor.
Like all other forms of public transport, Park & Ride users are asked to adhere to social distancing and face coverings are mandatory (unless exempt) on all buses and within waiting areas.
Drive to work
Carshare:
We would normally promote car sharing as an alternative to driving alone however for some this may not be possible. Guidance recommends that if you normally share a journey with people from other households or outside your support bubble, where possible, find an alternative way to travel. If you do need to travel with someone from outside your household or support bubble, the latest guidance can be found here.
If you do decide to drive to Wellington Place, there are a number of parking deal offers available which may help you find parking in the city centre:
- NCP are currently running an offer through the ‘ParkPass’ App, which allows you to park for 24 hours for £7.50 when booked through the App. Full details of the offer can be found online here and is subject to change. Use the postcode LS1 4AP for the NCP at Wellington Place.
- Leeds City Council car parks (excluding Quarry Hill) are offering parking at £1 per hour or £5 per day when paid using the Park Mobile App. If you pay at the machine, you have to pay normal rates which are listed online. The closest car parks to Wellington Place are Castle Street Car Park and West Street Car Park. More information can be found here.
Thank you to Charlotte for providing these helpful tips for travel to and from work. If you have any concerns about travelling to Wellington Place or need assistance with planning your journey, please do not hesitate to contact our travel team: travelplanning@foreconsulting.co.uk.
