Dear Secretary of State and Mr. Black,

We, the undersigned residents, business owners, and daily users of Kirkstall’s road network, write to you to express our deep frustration and concern over the prolonged and unacceptable closure of Morris Lane, Kirkstall, Leeds, by Yorkshire Water.

The works began on October 9, 2024, due to a burst water main. Initial projections promised a 10-week repair period — yet nearly seven months later, the road remains closed, with a new completion date now extended to August 2025. This represents a full year of disruption for the local community with no credible justification or accountability.

This situation is symptomatic of poor planning, inadequate risk management, and a troubling lack of transparency on the part of Yorkshire Water. The cited reasons — that the pipe lies 8.5 meters underground and near a high-voltage electricity cable — are factors that should have been anticipated through proper surveying and due diligence before works began.

The impact on our community has been severe:

Severe traffic congestion on Kirkstall Road, Queenswood drive and others with delays exceeding 45 minutes during peak hours.
Disruption to public transport — key bus routes have been diverted, causing inconvenience to students, the elderly, and working families.

Negative economic effects on local shops and small businesses who rely on footfall and road access.
Reduced access for emergency services, creating public safety concerns.
Mental fatigue and social discontent among residents, who are left in the dark with vague or minimal updates.

This extended disruption is not just inconvenient — it is a failure of operational responsibility by a regulated monopoly that serves millions. We ask: where is the regulatory scrutiny?

We call on DEFRA and Ofwat to:

Initiate an immediate investigation into Yorkshire Water’s handling of the Morris Lane works.

Demand a revised, fixed completion deadline with weekly public updates.
Hold Yorkshire Water accountable for the delays and require transparent disclosure of all contributing factors.
Ensure compensation and mitigation for residents and businesses directly affected by the disruption.
Review Yorkshire Water’s wider performance and planning protocols to prevent future incidents of this scale.

The residents of Kirkstall deserve better than corporate silence and indefinite disruption. This is not just a local inconvenience — it is a clear breach of public trust and regulatory expectation. We respectfully urge DEFRA and Ofwat to act swiftly, visibly, and decisively.

Sincerely,

Stuart Long 

On behalf of the residents and road users of Kirkstall, Leeds