Plans lodged for £60m zero-emission Weaver Network bus depot in Wakefield
The purpose-built facility forms part of the Weaver Network, the new transport system for West Yorkshire.
Plans have been formally submitted to build a £60m zero-emission bus depot in Wakefield.
The purpose-built facility forms part of the Weaver Network, which aims to create a leading transport system for West Yorkshire.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has applied to locate the facility at Wakefield Council’s former transport depot at Newton Bar.
The proposed development includes parking and charging areas for up to 125 buses and a two-storey main building providing office space and a maintenance workshop.
A separate building for bus cleaning is also planned, along with staff car parking, secure cycle parking and landscaping.
A planning statement said: “The combined authority has an overarching transport strategy which aims to transform travel across West Yorkshire so that it is more sustainable, reliable, accessible and attractive than private car travel.
“This is part of broader regional ambitions set out in WYCA’s local transport plan and the Transport Strategy 2040, which support a net-zero carbon economy by 2038 and seek to cut emissions and improve air quality.”
The application was submitted on Tuesday (March 31) following a public consultation which was launched in January this year.
Wakefield has been without a main bus depot since September 2024, when Arriva permanently closed its base on Barnsley Road.
The operator took emergency action following the discovery of serious structural problems in an engineering building.
The site, which also housed Arriva’s Yorkshire headquarters, is due to be demolished.
The statement also said: “Through the electrification of their depots, the combined authority can operate zero-emission buses, reducing tailpipe emissions and air pollution.
“This supports broader climate and public-health goals of cleaner air, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and helping public transport authorities meet de-carbonisation targets.
“With electric buses powered from these depots, the combined authority can run services that are quieter through reduced engine noise, and provide smoother and more modern vehicles, which will improve passenger experience.”
Wakefield Council has relocated its vehicle fleet from Newton Bar to new premises at the Phoenix 66 building, on Green Lane Industrial Park, in Featherstone.
The council previously said Newton Bar, to the north of the city centre, was “no longer fit for purpose” and “in a poor structural condition.”
WYCA would demolish buildings at the site to make way for the new depot if plans are given the go-ahead.
Work could begin in summer this year and the new depot could be operational by 2028.
The statement added: “The proposal makes efficient use of land to deliver essential public infrastructure and supports local employment, both during construction and ongoing operation.”