Calls to revive plans for Leeds station transformation after HS2 disappointment

An ambitious proposal to redevelop Leeds Station so it could accommodate new lines running south was part of preparations for the arrival of HS2.

The redevelopment was recommended in 2015 by the then-chair of HS2 Ltd Sir David Higgins and it was due to kickstart a major redevelopment known as South Bank, which promised to double the size of the city centre.

It appears to have been scrapped, as the northern leg of HS2 has been abandoned and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claims land earmarked for the project in Leeds will be sold off next summer.

But West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and Leeds City Council believe the T-shaped station is still needed to increase capacity at the busiest station in the North, where 46 per cent of services are delayed on cancelled.

They want new lines running south, that would allow more services to travel to the likes of Wakefield and Sheffield.

Cllr James Lewis, leader of the council, said it is “the only viable option” as the station – used by 30m passengers a year – is in a densely populated area of the city centre and it would be extremely difficult to add new lines at the eastern or western entrance.

He said HS2 Ltd has paved the way for new southern lines, by safeguarding around 700 hectares of land around the station. But it is due to be released in July next year.

“The lack of capacity and congestion at Leeds Station causes a huge amount of delays for people. It also makes it really difficult to add new services,” he said. “We need that extra capacity and the only way of doing that in a sustainable way is with a T-shaped station.

“We don’t want the safeguarding that’s in place protecting land around the station from development to be lifted until there is a resolution.

“We are really keen to work with the government on a proper long-term plan to get more trains in and out of Leeds.”

The government said it is reviewing options for iincreasing capacity as part of Network North – a £36bn package of transport upgrades announced after the northern leg of HS2 was scrapped.

Network Rail is due to apply for funding for the Leeds Existing Station Programme (LESP), which aims to address long-standing congestion issues, by submitting a business case to the government at the end of 2024.

It is also planning to extend platform 17, to accommodate longer trains from Castleford and Woodlesford, and exploring plans to build another line for these services.

A £161m redevelopment of the station was completed last year. It saw workers build the new platform zero and upgrade the tracks to improve reliability. The roof was also replaced, new ticket gates were installed and the toilets were refurbished.

In November 2021, Leeds was promised £100m for study that would find an “optimal solution” to capacity issues at the station and determine whether HS2 services could run to Leeds via another route. The government provided less than half the funding (£40.1m) before the study was scrapped in October.