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Tuesday 6 Oct 2020

Passengers in Yorkshire urged to check before they travel as Network Rail makes progress on £161m upgrade at Leeds station

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: North & East

Network Rail is urging passengers in Yorkshire to check before they travel on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November as vital improvement work continues to create the first new platform at Leeds station in nearly 20 years.

Platform Zero - a £161m project due to complete at the end of this year - will allow more trains in and out of the station, helping to meet future rail demand.

During the planned weekend, Network Rail engineers will focus on upgrading the signalling systems and connecting overhead line equipment.  Platform 1 will also reopen to passengers on Monday 2 November, meaning the temporary platform will close.

To allow this stage of the project to take place safely, platforms 1 to 5 will be closed all day Saturday and Sunday with the wider station (all platforms) fully closed between 23:40 on Saturday 31 October until 11:40 on Sunday 1 November. As a result, several train services will be affected, but rail replacement bus services will run instead that will pick up at New Station Street and drop off on Sovereign Street.

Further details of the rail replacement plan will be published later this month that will ensure travel can still take place between places including York, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Sheffield and Bradford.

Passengers planning on travelling during the weekend works are strongly advised to check their journeys via National Rail Enquiries or with their train operator and to allow plenty of time.

Matt Rice, North and East Route Director for Network Rail, said: “This work at Leeds station is a major step towards huge benefits for passengers. Platform Zero will create more space for trains, more seats for passengers and bring more reliable journeys thanks to the improved track layout.

“The majority of this project has been carried out without disrupting train services, but this vital weekend work can only be done safely by limiting the number of trains coming in and out of the station. We’d also like to say a big thanks to residents and businesses next to the station for their continued patience and support as we approach the final stages of construction.”

Steve Hopkinson, Regional Director at Northern, said: “The creation of Platform Zero is vital for our plans to increase capacity, run longer trains and provide improved services for our customers. Our aim is to make a positive impact for the north of England and the improvements being carried out at Leeds will help us achieve this. Customers who intend to travel during the closures should allow extra time for their journeys and plan ahead carefully – details of the timetables will be available via National Rail Enquiries and the Northern website.”  

Network Rail is also reminding people that they must wear a face covering on public transport, unless they are exempt, or they could be fined up to £3,200.