£14 billion plan to improve Yorkshire's rail network unveiled including Leeds and Sheffield station expansions

‘Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail’ sets out a credible and affordable package of investment in new and accessible stations. Alongside modern rolling stock, improved services in the short term, upgrades to unlock capacity at key stations and development of strategic schemes to improve connectivity.

The plan comes as part of the proposed 10-year infrastructure plan and spending review to be announced later this summer, with £2.4bn sought for the first phase of improvements between now and 2030 and approximately £14bn required over the next 15 years.

This is in addition to the £2.5bn funding needed to bring trams back to West Yorkshire and investment for the extension and renewal of South Yorkshire’s tram network.

Lord Blunkett said: “Yorkshire has been punching under its weight for far too long, and with the White Rose Agreement and this infrastructure plan, the three Mayors are determined to reverse this historic trend.

“It’s been a pleasure to be asked to pull together this credible and affordable plan, which presents a once in a lifetime opportunity to improve rail connectivity, and unlock economic growth and opportunities for all.

"By taking action now, the benefits of releasing capacity, speeding up journeys, improving reliability and running more frequent services will be felt not just here, but across the North, Midlands and beyond. It’s time to back Yorkshire.”

The report focuses on the need to deliver faster, more frequent and reliable train services by increasing capacity at Leeds, Sheffield and York stations, plus building a new through-station for Bradford and a mainline station at Rotherham.

Planned upgrades and electrification between Leeds and Sheffield, plus increased frequency on services running to Wakefield’s Five Towns are also to be included.

The review is set to be launched in Leeds today (Friday, May 16) by Lord Blunkett, alongside West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard and York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith.

Mayor Brabin said: “We are incredibly grateful to Lord Blunkett for leading this vital and timely review as we work together to create a better-connected region that works for all.

“A lack of investment stretching back decades has left Yorkshire with a rail network no longer fit for purpose. This is holding back ambitious growth plans for our regions which will put more money in people's pockets.

“We owe it to everyone, especially younger generations, to secure our fair share of funding so the region’s train services are suitable for the modern age, getting passengers to where they need to go, when they want to go.”

The White Rose region’s population now stands at 4.6 million, having grown by more than half a million in the past decade and generates £127 billion Gross Value Added (GVA) for the national economy.

Improving the region’s rail network in seen as crucial to the wider regional growth strategy and closing the productivity gap by creating more opportunities, connecting young people to jobs, providing a real incentive for potential employers to relocate, and promoting more sustainable travel.

The report sets out a plan to enhance Yorkshire’s rail network in a sustainable, affordable and credible way with a phased approach.

In the first five years investment is proposed to deliver:

• New stations at Haxby, Elland, White Rose, Thorpe Park, Rotherham Gateway, Waverley, Leeds-Bradford Airport Parkway, and Dearne Valley Parkway.
• Business case development for a new through-station at Bradford and NPR network.
• Station capacity at Leeds and Sheffield.
• Station upgrades at Malton, Seamer, and Scarborough.
• Platform extensions across the network.
• Leeds platform 17 extension.
• Platform 0 Bradford Forster Square.
• New/improved services for Bradford – Kings Cross, Leeds – Sheffield (fast), Sheffield – York XC (reinstated), Leeds - Goole, Bradford Forster Square – Skipton/Ilkley, Barnsley – London (peak), Wakefield and Five Towns, Penistone Line, Esk Valley, and York – Scarborough.
• New rolling stock for Northern leading to longer trains and more frequent services.
• Extension and renewal of the South Yorkshire tram network, and spades in the ground on West Yorkshire’s tram network.
• Ongoing Transpennine Route Upgrade programme between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.

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.

A number of key challenges are listed as needing addressed, from poor performance and reliability to slow journeys, infrequent trains and limited seats:

• Nationally, Leeds station is the worst location across the UK in terms of total minutes delay, with Sheffield, York and Bradford Interchange also in the top 10.
• Connectivity across the region is a challenge: for example, there are only five fast services a day between Sheffield and York, compared to four per hour between Liverpool and Manchester.
• Meanwhile, commuters living in parts of Yorkshire cannot use trains to travel to work due to a lack of early services, while other areas have no late services for those wanting to go on a night out.
• Poor off peak and weekend services limit journey opportunities, particularly for leisure travel and staycations.
• Older trains not only impact service reliability, they also lead to an unattractive public transport offer. Northern Rail, which operators most of the services across the White Rose region, has an average fleet age of 23.6 years compared to 16.6 years nationally.