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Sept
Affordability of £42 million Leeds Bradford Airport interchange on Harrogate line to be reviewed
The affordability of a £42 million plan to build a rail station on the Harrogate line that would connect with Leeds Bradford Airport is to be reviewed.
Called Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway, the project is being led by West Yorkshire Combined Authority and was first unveiled in January 2021.
The station would be built between Horsforth station and Bramhope tunnel and enable people to catch the train on the Harrogate line and then transfer to the airport. There would also be a 350-space park and ride facility.
A planning application was due to be submitted for the project at the end of 2024, according to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority website.
However, according to a recent update, the combined authority is now assessing the scheme’s “deliverability and affordability”.
It said:
The scheme is at present going through an assessment of deliverability and affordability, in response to rising costs for project delivery. We will have a clearer understanding of the timeline for our next steps upon completion of this activity.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, told the Stray Ferret in September 2024 that he backed the proposal.
The proposed site for the new station for Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway. Picture: West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Mr Skaith said the project could "act as a catalyst” for the line between Leeds and York by encouraging future investment.
At the time, he said:
The Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway project could bring significant benefits to our region and we’re supporting the West Yorkshire Combined Authority on its development.
The creation of a new station would serve as an interchange to the airport and future North West Leeds Employment Hub, as well as providing a park and ride facility for people living in Harrogate and the surrounding rural villages.
The scheme could also act as a catalyst for considerable benefits for the rail line between Leeds and York, by encouraging future opportunities for investment. This in turn would open up economic opportunities for Harrogate as a key station on the line.
We have made clear that the new station must not have a negative impact on North Yorkshire including increased level crossing barrier downtime, and I’m confident we can work together to deliver a scheme that benefits our residents.
The new station was also included in a £14 billion plan for rail services in Yorkshire, which was drawn up by Lord Blunkett and published in May this year.
The 60-page review included Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway in a list of proposed stations alongside Haxby, Elland, White Rose, Thorpe Park, Rotherham Gateway, Waverley and Dearne Valley Parkway.
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