Plans for extra trains to London have been delayed - despite station extension
Plans for additional train services between London and Shipley - via Leeds - have been delayed.
Platforms at Shipley Rail Station have recently been extended allow extra services between Bradford and the capital – and these extra services were due to begin stopping at Shipley from late last month.
But a “technical issue” with the LNER fleet has meant those extra Shipley services have yet to begin – leading to criticism from Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe during a recent Transport Committee meeting.
LNER has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the extra services are finally expected to come to Shipley in December – and will triple the amount of direct London services.
Earlier this year a new Platform 0 opened at Bradford Forster Square Rail Station opened in May following a £35m investment from Government.
The new platform allowed an increase in the number of direct trains between Bradford and Kings Cross from two a day to seven.
A report to West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s transport committee said: “The introduction of Shipley stops (seven services each way – in total) has not been possible due to a delay in obtaining the necessary platform extension permissions. As a result, the introduction has been postponed.”
But at the meeting the committee – made up of Councillors from across West Yorkshire, officers revealed that the start date had been pushed back yet again.
They said the delay was “out of the Authority’s hands” and that it was due to a technical issue on the fleet.
Coun Hinchcliffe, Chair of the Committee, said: “We’ve worked really hard to make sure the platforms were ready for the October deadline.
“To find out now that the rail stock isn’t ready is very frustrating.”
LNER – which operates the Bradford to Kings Cross Services, said the trains will finally begin stopping in Shipley in December.
A spokesperson told the LDRS: “Following the completion of extension work to platform 4 at Shipley, LNER will soon be more than tripling its service from London King’s Cross to Shipley.
“We are currently in the process of completing a technical update across the full LNER fleet which will allow all of our services from the capital to Bradford Forster Square to call at Shipley.
“We expect this to be complete in the coming weeks, with services to be introduced in December 2025.”