Northern trains: Leeds operator to offer over 5,000 extra seats a day on Ilkley, Skipton and Bradford services

The train operator will begin introducing more six-carriage services between Leeds, Ilkley, Skipton and Bradford Forster Square this week, providing more than 5,400 extra seats a day for customers on weekdays and Saturdays.

All of the electric trains which run on these lines currently have three or four carriages but Northern is now working to ensure at least one in six of these trains has six carriages.

Many will run during the busiest periods of the day on these routes, which are some of the best performing on Northern’s network. More than 99 per cent of services running between Leeds, Ilkley, Skipton and Bradford Forster Square ran without cancellation in May.

Kerry Peters, regional director for Northern in Yorkshire, said: “We have been working hard to run a reliable service for customers on these routes and are now focused on providing extra capacity to meet demand.

“These six-carriage services will provide customers with more space and extra seats during the busiest periods so they can enjoy a more comfortable journey.”

If you’d like to receive more stories like this and the latest news from the Yorkshire Evening Post, click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter.

The increased capacity comes alongside a Network Rail project to extend platforms to accommodate longer trains at Kirkstall Forge, Apperley Bridge, Shipley, Bingley, Guiseley, Menston and Burley in Wharfedale.

Passengers should check posters and information screens or ask conductors to find out which doors they can use to get on and off six-carriage trains.

Cononley and Steeton & Silsden stations have not been extended and passengers will be unable to alight from the two front carriages of the train.