The £20 million southern entrance to Leeds Station has been officially opened, serving new residential and commercial developments alongside the River Aire. It’s expected that one-in-five passengers – about 20,000 people daily – will use it.
The construction process has been complex, both in terms of logistics and engineering. Materials had to be brought in by barge from a holding area quarter-of-a-mile away and then lifted into position by a tower crane located in a service yard behind an apartment block.
Yorkshire is currently the focus of a significant rail investment programme. This will bring new trains, additional services and the return of three former stations. At Low Moor, works have been ongoing since August, but the project team has had to deal with years of fly tipping, a leaking high-pressure gas main and disused mine workings.
Low Moor is likely to welcome its first passengers in the summer. Apperley Bridge Station, on the commuter route between Leeds and Bradford Forster Square, opened in December and another, at Kirkstall Forge, is close to completion.
