Opinion: Frustration over trolleybus scheme delays as Leeds faces another day of traffic gridlock

It won't have been lost on most Leeds commuters this week that rush hour traffic has been simply horrendous. Tens of thousands of us have spent hours stuck in traffic jams trying to get into and out if the city centre as major roadwork schemes on Kirkstall Road (ironically due to work on the new quality bus corridor) and at Armley Gyratory cause massive tailbacks. The work is due to continue until Friday. From personal experience, the other day it took me almost three hours to crawl down Wellington Street on the number 4 bus, go past the gyratory and up Tong Road to my home in Farnley - a journey that normally takes just over half an hour. So there was a certain sense of frustrated irony when yesterday's announcement filtered through that the city's trolleybus scheme and new Kirkstall Forge Station were once again stalled . Tell that to the Leeds folk who this week speak of three-hour journeys just to get from the city centre to Headingley and the like. I know the roadworks are extreme examples of the city's problems and (hopefully) the exception rather than the rule. But they have brought home the pressing need for 'something' to happen in Leeds regarding transport. Trouble is, I'm not sure what that 'something' is - and we seem to be running out of options. The city's spent the best part of two decades trying to get a decent rapid transport system together without any success. We've had the knock back over the Supertram scheme because it was too expensive. And all we've got to show for the trolleybus so far are flash video graphics on Youtube. Let's face it, it doesn't seem likely that we'll get the nod for the trolleybus from the government. It's now stuck in a pot competing with 20-odd other schemes for a slice of just over £600 million. The project's already been cut back by Metro to requiring just under £200 million of government cash - is the Department for Transport really going to commit almost a third of its reserved cash to one scheme? I have my doubts. And don't forget, Leeds is only after funding for two-thirds of the trolleybus scheme - the north and south routes. Even the last Labour government wouldn't commit to the East Leeds route, so who knows how that will ever be financed? Optimistic talk from transport and council chiefs The folks at Metro and Leeds council are rightly keeping their chins up and optimistically talking of brave fights ahead. I hope they're right. I hope we do get funding for both the trolleybus and Kirkstall Forge - the city fares so poorly when applying for cash for these sort of schemes. I think I'm correct in saying we're one of only a few major cities in western Europe without a system like a supertram or trolleybus. That's ridiculous for a city the size of Leeds! It's even more ridiculous when you take into account tht this week we've got ordinary Leeds people organising online petitions and surveys to complain about the current public transport offerings in Leeds. The question is: if trolleybus doesn't go ahead - and I accept that there are some people in Leeds who aren't in favour of it fullstop - where do we go from here? What other options are left available to Leeds as a city? How can we unclog the city's roads, be greener and sustainable and also ensure Leeds has the right infrastructure in place for its residents and for business? How can we get a public transport system fit for a 21st century city? I don't know the answers. But I'll give it some thought when I'm stuck in the traffic tonight. What do you think? Have your say in the comments section below.