Revised bid for new rail stations at Kirkstall & Apperley Bridge approved

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A revised, £17.2m package of local rail improvements that would see two new rail stations built at Kirkstall Forge and Apperley Bridge was approved by the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority Executive Board today.

Planned to provide better connections between Bradford and Leeds and to relieve congestion on the busy commuter routes between the two cities, the Rail Growth Package was originally submitted in November 2009.

As part of the new Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, Metro was asked to identify potential savings in the scheme and submit this revised Best and Final Funding Bid Offer for consideration by the Department for Transport in the autumn.

CEG, the company behind the Kirkstall Forge development has already earmarked a £5.5m contribution to the scheme and this will be complemented by £1.3m of the proceeds from Metro’s recent sale of rolling stock and £1/4m through the Local Transport Plan. The remaining £10m would come from the DfT.

“Developing these new stations with over 400 parking spaces, at Kirkstall and Apperley Bridge will provide passengers with quick and convenient links to the major employment centres in Leeds and Bradford and help take thousands of commuter journeys off local roads,” said Metro Chairman Cllr James Lewis.

“These new stations, along with the new Leeds Station Southern Entrance and the additional trains arriving on electrified routes from December 2011 represent part of Metro’s and its partners’ efforts to create a local railway network that can meet the growing demands being placed today.”

“These developments and others within the Local Transport Plan will also ensure that when High Speed Rail arrives, its benefits are felt across West Yorkshire and the Leeds City Region,” he added.

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