‘Flabbergasted’ Leeds Bradford Airport boss hits out as £65m station plan faces fresh delay

Leeds Bradford Airport’s boss has lambasted delays to proposals to build a new parkway station.

The plans were first mooted almost a decade ago to build a station on the Leeds to Harrogate trainline, which would allow passengers to get to the airport by a shuttle bus.

But a decade on West Yorkshire Combined Authority has revealed it will still take another two to three years to put together a business case for the project.

The estimated cost is £65m, yet the WYCA report revealed that it will be hard just to get two trains an hour to stop at the parkway station.

LBA chief executive Vincent Hodder has said: “I'm astonished that's what they've come up with, it's absolutely incredible.

“I do not understand how this could possibly be the case."

"Funding for this railway station was approved by the national government in 2016 and 2017.

“It was supposed to be built and operational by 2021 and five years later, we're being told it's at least three years away, which means that all of the money that has been spent over the last 10 years in countless consultants' reports and business case developments, all of it has been a complete waste of time and money.

"Part of the solution to the problem is we get all of the people who have an interest in the project together.

“We haven't been part of the preparation of this report that's going to the board. They haven't engaged with us at all.

“I'm flabbergasted that they could get to this point and still say we're still two or three years away from having the solution."

On Thursday the Combined Authority board, made up of Councillors from across the region, will be told that the lack of a nearby rail station is a “drag” on the growth of the airport.

A report to members also says the station could help with plans to develop more housing to the East of Otley.

They will be asked to “endorse continued development of the LBA Parkway project including:

• Completion of a Full Business Case.
• Completion of necessary Ground Investigation work at the site.
• Identification of a workable timetable for LBA Parkway, including definition of any network enhancements required, and
• Identification of a funding strategy for the station.

A report says: “Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) is the largest airport in Yorkshire, over the past 25 years growing from a small airport handling circa 1.6 million passengers to an operation with circa 4.4 million annual passengers in 2025, contributing £460 million to the regional economy and supporting 6,600 jobs.

“LBA’s ambition is to grow to achieve seven million annual passengers using the airport by the early 2030s, and with that contributing an estimated £940 million to the regional economy and supporting a total of 12,140 jobs.

“The growth plans include £200m of private investment by the airport to increase the terminal and apron capacity and improving the customer experience.

“Whilst providing a different offering to other airports, there is strong evidence that a significant element of LBA’s expected catchment market is being ‘lost’ to other airports with some 9.5 million air passengers in Yorkshire and the Humber using other airports.

“Poor surface access is cited as a challenge to the accessibility of LBA and a factor in making other UK airports more attractive.

“It is a drag on the growth of the airport, with airport passengers travelling predominantly by car (88 per cent) utilising pickup and drop off, taxis, or the short and long stay car parks in and around the site, which places pressure on the local highway network.”

A WYCA spokesperson said: “We are working hard to help ensure Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway Station becomes a reality in the coming years.

"Colleagues at the airport were engaged in the creation of this report, and we will continue working collaboratively with all key partners to make this project a success."