Stuart Andrew (MP for Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough) has praised the new £20 million southern entrance to Leeds railway station. It is estimated that around 20,000 people a day will use the new entrance, which provides a direct link to Leeds’ growing south bank area.
Designed to reduce journey times, passengers will no longer have to loop around the station to the existing northern entrance. Alongside the new design will be customer information screens, ticket machines and automated ticket gates, which will reduce congestion and improve the passenger experience.
Situated over the River Aire on the south side of the station, the £20.4m entrance includes a brand new concourse, escalators, stairs and lifts to improve accessibility and new cycle storage. It opens following the recent awarding of the Northern and TransPennine rail franchises that will ensure longer trains, more frequent services and provide space for more than 14,000 more passengers into Leeds and Sheffield during the morning rush hour.
Stuart said:
“The striking new entrance opens up a new opportunity for developing the relatively unexplored south side of Leeds. There are over a million people use Leeds station, and anything to encourage people to see the already improving south bank can only be a good thing.
“This is another example of the Government delivering real and meaningful investment in transport in Leeds and Yorkshire. Sir David Higgins announced his recommendation for a Yorkshire Hub in Leeds to connect HS2 to existing rail services in a station that would support regeneration around the area, and this new entrance is one step on the way towards this.”
Transport Minister Andrew Jones said:
“The stunning entrance will make journeys quicker and more convenient for thousands of passengers every day. This is a further example of the Northern Powerhouse in action, improving lives for people and businesses in Leeds.
“We’re determined to provide Leeds and Yorkshire with a transport network to support its ambitious, with new rail franchise, new rail stations and major road upgrades to drive the region’s growth.”