Exclusive:Opening of Leeds station steps hit by further setback as council confirm lifts issue
A long rumoured issue with the lifts has been confirmed
The opening of Leeds City Station's new entrance has been hit by a further setback.
Work to the New Station Street entrance at Leeds station have been derailed once again - the Yorkshire Evening Post can exclusively confirm.
Originally due to be completed by September 2025, the troubled £46.1 million improvement scheme has faced a series of delays as a result of complex works.
Now for the first time, Leeds City Council have officially confirmed that a long rumoured issue with the lifts, connecting New Station Street and Bishopgate Street, is indeed delaying the opening of the project.
“Having opened the pavement along Bishopgate Street and sections of New Station Street, unfortunately we have encountered an issue with one of the lifts, which is delaying essential safety testing from being completed,” an authority spokesperson said.
“We are working to resolve this as soon as possible so we can open the final parts of the scheme imminently.”
The works, which have been underway since May 2022, were first delayed until February 2026, but have now been pushed back a further five times.
Pavements along Bishopgate Street, behind the new taxi shelter, opened at the beginning of October and the remainder of the works were due to follow by the end of the month.
Leeds City Council would not be drawn on when the remainder of the project will now be opened.