Delayed station entrance to open in September

3 hours ago

Michael HendersonYorkshire

The work was initially due to be completed in autumn 2025

Eleanor Ingleby/BBC The front of Leeds railway station. There is a gold sign above a glass frontage, with the words "Leeds City Station" in white. There are safety barriers in front of the windows, and workers in hi-vis clothing can be seen. Some passengers are also standing around the entrance. — The work was initially due to be completed in autumn 2025

A new main entrance for Leeds railway station will be completed in September, a year after it was originally scheduled to open, it has been confirmed.

The £46.1m Leeds Station Gateway project includes more pedestrian-friendly streets, a new taxi rank and better facilities for storing bikes.

Work on the revamp started in 2022 and was initially due to be completed in autumn 2025, before being pushed back to "summer 2026".

A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: "The Leeds Station Gateway is expected to fully open in September once the remaining works, including the lifts, have been installed and commissioned. We thank people for their patience as we move towards completion."

Once finished, there will also be new outdoor seating, charging for electric bikes and two lifts to take people between the entrance and the new taxi rank on Bishopgate Street.

The work has included the demolition of the previous cycle hub and rotunda steps outside the station, as well the removal of 13 iron beams, each weighing as much as 40 tonnes.

The taxi rank will be moved to Bishopgate Street when the work is complete

Leeds City Council An artist's impression of Bishopgate Street, outside Leeds railway station. An office building can be seen in the background. Taxis are seen queued-up outside the new station entrance, with people walking on a nearby pavement. There is a bike lane to the left of the picture, painted green. — The taxi rank will be moved to Bishopgate Street when the work is complete

But completion of the project has been delayed due to complex engineering challenges, including maintenance work required on the underground Mill Goit - a man-made channel off the River Aire.

The long-running construction work has also caused problems on nearby roads, with drivers receiving fines and complaining about "chaos" at the temporary drop-off zone.

In June, Network Rail, which owns the station, said the pressure on the drop-off area would be eased when taxis moved to their new location "next month".

However, a Network Rail spokesperson has now confirmed that the vehicles will be relocated when the project is completed in September.

New steps and lifts will allow people to get to and from the relocated taxi rank

Eleanor Ingleby/BBC A view of Bishopgate Street from a nearby bridge. The road below has been recently resurfaced. To the left of the picture, the new steps leading up to Leeds railway station can be seen, with a new station clock behind. The Queen Hotel can be seen in the background. — New steps and lifts will allow people to get to and from the relocated taxi rank

The spokesperson for Leeds City Council added: "Delivering these improvements alongside the essential maintenance to the Mill Goit has combined two extremely complex schemes, minimising longer-term disruption and achieving best value for money.

"The scheme will provide a more attractive, accessible and welcoming gateway to the city, with improved public spaces and better connections between the station and the wider city centre."

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