Back on the agenda; a new railway station to serve these two West Yorkshire towns
Senior councillors have said they plan to get a campaign for a new railway station to serve two West Yorkshire towns “on the agenda again.”
Wakefield Council’s leader and its cabinet member responsible for transport told a meeting they would lobby West Yorkshire Major Tracy Brabin over calls to re-establish Horbury and Ossett station.
Ossett is believed to be the largest town in the UK not to have a railway station. A previous station which served both Horbury and Ossett closed in 1970.
Councillors for the area have previously led calls for a new station, saying it could be used by more than 40,000 local residents.
The issue was raised during a question and answer session with members of the public following a council cabinet meeting on Tuesday (November)
In a written question, a Horbury resident said there was “strong local interest” in a new station, but added: “There hasn’t been much progress since we had some initial conversations about this a couple of years ago.”
In response, Matthew Morley, portfolio holder for planning and highways, said the council did not have the authority to approve new stations as any decision would be down to West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA).
He said: “It is a regional decision to be made.”
Coun Morley said WYCA would be finalising its local transport plan next year and the council was also in the process of updating its own transport strategy.
He said: “The challenge with new stations is you have got to have a very strong case on projected footfall.
“That means the catchment area needs to be really clear and the site within easy reach of housing.
“We’ll keep talking to WYCA on this and make sure that they give the pubic the opportunity to have their say and feed into the future planning process.”
Coun Morley added: “Other communities, I know the Crofton and Hemsworth areas, are also heavily campaigning and lobbying for a train station. We will support as and when we can and campaign for them.”
Council leader Denise Jeffery said: “I know that councillor Morley, when he goes to the transport authority, does raise these issues all the time, and to lobby for our area.
“But it is down to the combined authority. It is out of our hands really.”
Coun Morley asked: “Maybe we could write a joint letter outlining the issues?”
Coun Jeffery replied: “Yes, get it on the agenda again.”
In November 2022, both Labour and Conservative councillors urged Ms Brabin to back their campaign for a Horbury and Ossett station when she attended a full council meeting in Wakefield.
Darren Byford, Labour councillor for Horbury and South Ossett, said: “We need a railway station and we need it to be established quickly.
“We want it to give us direct access to Wakefield Westgate, to Leeds City Station, to Huddersfield and beyond.
“Personally, I am not precious about the location of the actual station.
“Horbury and Ossett have a combined population of over 40,000 residents.
“If you add in the surrounding areas, this gives you a great opportunity to establish a new railway station in a vastly underserved area.”
Coun Byford also asked Ms Brabin what could be done to get a new station opened with the next five years.
She replied: “I have been lobbied about the new station.
“If you have the capacity to bring together the data where you can prove the numbers add up, whether you have the footfall that will be economically viable, then bring it to the combined authority via your leader.
“But it is always about the numbers and the limited resources that we have.”