Leeds Station Interchange closed for NINE MONTHS from today - here's why

The New Station Street Interchange is now closed to all traffic except taxis.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Leeds City Council and Network Rail are together starting works aimed at improving the area outside Leeds Station entrance, to improve seating and create a more 'attractive space'.

The new bus stops for buses using New Station Street:

19, 19A - stop K17

40 - stop K175 - stops T7, Z1 and W4

4, 16, 16A - stop T6 then W1

11, 11A - stop K17

The work is linked to a major upgrade of the station which also includes the building of a new 'platform zero' where the current long-stay car park stands.

Platforms 1-6 will also be lengthened to cater for new, longer trains with more seats, and there will be signalling and track alignment upgrades as part of the £161million investment project.

The south concourse ceiling will be replaced by a transparent roof to allow natural light to flood into the station.

During the construction of platform zero, the number of long-stay car parking spaces at Leeds will be reduced in phases until May, when the long-stay car park will close completely until the platform is built in 2021, with Network Rail working alongside Leeds City Council to promote alternative parking sites.

Just over 100 spaces of the current 400 will be reduced by early January with the number of spaces reduced further between March and May in 2019.

Contract car park spaces will remain in place.

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Rob McIntosh, route managing director for Network Rail, said: “Together this trio of projects are the biggest investment in the station since Leeds First in the early 2000s, and I am delighted that they will start delivering benefits for passengers and the city as early as next autumn.

“There will inevitably be changes to peoples’ usual walking routes and routines during construction and we will do everything we can to keep people moving efficiently and safely, in eager anticipation of a noticeably improved station upon completion.”

All three phases will be complete by 2021. Station car parking will be reinstated in 2021 and the New Station Street pedestrianisation will be in operation from autumn 2019.

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