FAQs

We are developing plans to build a new rail station with associated car park on the existing Leeds to York section of the TransPennine railway line, between Cross Gates and Garforth Rail Stations. The first phase of public engagement regarding this rail station took place Monday 2 July – Friday 3 August 2018 and a report was published analysing the feedback we received during this period. 

You can read this report on our website here Thorpe_Park_Rail_Station_Final_Report.pdf. Overall, the majority of respondents stated they were either very happy or happy with the proposal for a new station at Thorpe Park. We carefully reviewed the feedback received and used the information obtained to help inform and refine the design. Thorpe Park Rail Station received outline business case approval in October 2021. 

Since the last approval, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (the Combined Authority) have entered into an agreement with Network Rail to appoint a Contractor to develop the final designs for the station. These designs have been approved by Network Rail. The scheme has also completed on-site non-intrusive surveys and developed final station designs. We are currently engaging on your views on these updated proposals - you can have your say here: LINK 

Following this engagement, Network Rail will submit a planning application to Leeds City Council by the end of 2026 with the aim of obtaining full business case approval from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. 

Once these approvals are in place we will provide further information regarding timescales, however we currently expect construction to begin in spring 2027 and an opening during late 2028. The implementation of the scheme will be subject to the relevant rail industry approvals, planning permission, availability of funding and technical and business case feasibility. 

Thorpe Park Rail Station is being delivered on a complex part of the rail network and the design has been developed to take into account the interface with other rail schemes being delivered across the region including Transpennine Route Upgrade and Northern Powerhouse Rail. The scheme programme has been revised to allow time to manage these interfaces.

This has also enabled us to avoid abortive costs on the scheme. Schemes of this nature require many months of planning, design, engagement and approvals before you see work commence on the ground. The majority of the design work and ground investigation works have now been completed. We are now engaging on these final proposals for the station. 

The scheme is currently working towards the final stage of the business case process, where a detailed design will be brought forward. The delivery of the station after the full business case is subject to the relevant approvals, including planning approvals by Leeds City Council. 

If the station receives the relevant approvals, then it is expected that construction will commence in Spring 2027. The cost for the scheme is estimated at £40m and it will be delivered through funding provided to the Combined Authority by HM Government. The funding for this scheme is known as capital funding; this means it can only be spent on schemes to deliver new or improved infrastructure.    

There is no further engagement activity planned by the Combined Authority.  

During the planning application stage, once the formal planning submission has been made by Network Rail, final plans will be available to view on Leeds City Council’s planning portal and anyone can submit comments via the portal. We will advertise the planning portal link on the Your Voice page once it is live. 

The station would be situated on the existing Leeds to York section of the TransPennine railway line between the existing Cross Gates and Garforth Rail Stations. The Thorpe Park Rail Station site is located next to the A6120 East Leeds Orbital Road and would serve the wider Thorpe Park development, a mixed-use area comprising leisure facilities, offices, commercial and residential spaces.

Improving the rail network is an important part of our Rail Strategy for West Yorkshire (LINK) that aims to improve journeys for existing passengers, as well as attracting new users. With significant development and investment across the city, the rail network must connect people to where they want to go. 

It is also important to make sure Leeds is ready to maximise the benefits and future opportunities of the Transpennine Route Upgrade and Northern Powerhouse Rail. The station will also help to reduce road congestion, through reduced road journeys.

Thorpe Park Rail Station proposals have the following objectives and benefits:

• Serve the established Thorpe Park development including business park, leisure and retail facilities, providing improved transport links for employees and visitors
• Connecting people to jobs in existing and new developments around the area
• Help employers have access to a wider labour network by creating a better connection to the city centre and reducing journey times
• Form part of wider connectivity for new transport infrastructure across the East Leeds Extension, offering integrated public transport for existing and new residents;
• Better rail service for local demand, including a station car park to serve passengers
• Encourage more people to travel by public transport
• Improve rail access for local residents in the East Leeds area
• Provide an accessible station for all users
• Improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions by taking cars off the road

An Environmental Impact Assessment Screening will be submitted as part of the planning application later this year. 

Climate emergency

Since the previous engagement, both the Combined Authority and Leeds City Council have declared a climate emergency, with a shared ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions across the Leeds City Region by 2038. 

Thorpe Park Rail Station will support the region’s net zero ambitions by encouraging more sustainable travel. The station will improve connections to jobs, services and leisure opportunities, reduce reliance on car travel, and help tackle congestion and air quality issues. The scheme has been developed in line with the Combined Authority’s Carbon Impact Audit.

The car park has been designed to have 300 spaces, including pick-up and drop-off areas, disabled parking bays and EV charging spaces.  The size of the car park is based on passenger demand modelling for the station including looking at the availability of parking at nearby stations. There is also opportunity for future expansion of the car park should demand require it.

Most rail station car parks in West Yorkshire do not apply charging, however, some locations are charged on a case-by-case basis.   Charging will continue to be considered on a case-by-case basis if it is beneficial to the business and financial cases of the scheme which ultimately brings benefit to the passengers. The Combined Authority does not currently propose charging for parking at Thorpe Park Rail Station. However, this position may be reviewed in the future, and parking charges could be introduced if considered appropriate.

Parking at the station will be intended for rail users only. Details of how the car park will operate, including any management arrangements, will be confirmed closer to opening. However, we are constantly working with delivery partners and the Local Planning Authority (Leeds City Council) to ensure parking is managed accordingly.

Suitable bus service provision to the station will be considered throughout the development of the scheme.  We will continue to work with Leeds City Council and bus operators to deliver the most appropriate services that meet the needs of passengers. Currently, the 164 and165 bus services stop on Manston Lane approximately 500m (5-7min walk) from the station, and at The Springs Shopping Centre and Thorpe Park office park to the south of the station site.

Vehicle access to the station from Leeds and beyond would be via the M1 motorway (junction 46) accessing the southern end of the East Leeds Orbital Route (ELOR). Vehicles would then drive along William Parkin Way and access the station car park from Manston Lane. 

Pedestrian and cycle routes have been incorporated as part of the station and car park design to connect with the existing pedestrian and cycle routes along East Leeds Orbital Route. This includes cycle access to Manston Lane, covered cycle parking facilities, and a pedestrian and cycle connection from the south side of the station to the existing pedestrian walking route from Barrington Way to The Springs.

It is estimated that walking from the station car park to The Springs will take between five and ten minutes.

Currently it is scheduled to be an unstaffed rail station without a ticket office, with help points provided on each platform to contact Northern staff if required. However, this decision will be for the future operator, Northern.

The station facilities are detailed below:

• Waiting shelter with seating – one on each platform
• Public announcement speakers 
• Live departure boards
• Ticket machines – one on each platform
• CCTV and lighting

There will be no ticket office at the station, however a ticket machine will be provided on each platform.

The current station design does not include toilet facilities. However, all trains calling at the station are equipped with on-board toilet facilities.

Yes, the station will be designed to the latest accessibility standards which will include the provision of passenger lifts (as well as stairs) between the platforms and the passenger bridge. The lifts and footbridge are designed to ensure the station is accessible for those with a variety of mobility aids including manual and powered wheelchairs.

Safety is a high priority, with improving the safety of women and girls being a key pledge made by the Mayor of West Yorkshire. We have ensured that safety elements are incorporated into the design such as open, well-lit areas and CCTV, as well as considering design measures to reduce anti-social behaviour.

The station will be covered by a CCTV system including cameras located throughout the station, platforms and car park. This is operated by the Station Facility Owner, who we envisage will be Northern Trains.

There are no station closures anticipated as a result of the construction of the new station at Thorpe Park.

The current service provision and timetable for Thorpe Park Rail Station have not yet been confirmed. A timetabling study has been undertaken by the Combined Authority and Network Rail in consultation with the Train Operating Companies.

The proposed timetable at station opening would provide two trains per hour serving Thorpe Park Rail Station, with East Garforth Rail Station losing one service per hour. The proposed change would replace a train stopping at East Garforth station, which currently generates approximately 185,000 passenger journeys per annum, with a train stopping at Thorpe Park station, which is forecast to generate around 287,000 passenger journeys per annum.

While East Garforth Rail Station would experience a reduction in service frequency, it would continue to remain open and served by rail. In addition, passengers affected by the change would have access to Garforth Rail Station as an alternative, which is located approximately a 16-minute walk from East Garforth Rail Station and provides a more frequent rail service. This helps to ensure that rail access is retained within the local area while enabling services to be reallocated to meet forecast demand associated with the Thorpe Park Rail Station development.

While the current proposal represents a balanced use of available timetable capacity at present, there may be opportunities to refine the service offer for stations in this part of the network in future, as a result of wider rail enhancement programmes. Any future improvements to the number of services calling at Thorpe Park, Garforth or East Garforth Rail Stations would be considered against demand levels, the network capacity, and funding availability. 

Rail timetables change twice a year, and updated information on the expected service pattern along this section of the railway will be provided as the scheme progresses and construction nears completion.

One of the objectives of the scheme at Thorpe Park Rail Station is to encourage people to shift from private car use by providing more attractive alternatives through Weaver Network and improved rail connectivity. Rail travel is shown to produce some of the lowest greenhouse gas emissions by transport type. Encouraging users to the network at Thorpe Park Rail Station will help to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions by taking cars off the road. 

The station will embed energy efficiencies where possible to include energy saving infrastructure such as Electric Vehicle charging points and environmentally efficient LED lighting. Where possible, the scheme will use a local supply chain to procure materials to help ensure energy consumption and associated carbon emissions are considered in the planning, design and construction of the station. 

The station has been designed to incorporate the aspirational future upgrade of this section of the railway network envisaged by the UK government. The design will accommodate a four-track railway, which means that on opening the northern platform (trains towards York) will feel wider than a standard platform. 

The station footbridge has been designed to allow for the line to be electrified in the future.

An electrified four-track railway will allow the rail industry to deliver more frequent, faster, and more reliable journeys. By designing the station in this way we reduce future disruption for passengers, save money, and limit time delays that would result from having to demolish or retrofit aspects of the station in the future. 

The timeline and details for this section of the transformational rail upgrade have not been announced.

The line on which Thorpe Park Rail Station sits is currently being electrified as part of the TransPennine Route Upgrade scheme and the station has been designed to accommodate these upgrades. In particular the passenger footbridge and William Parkin Way are both high enough to allow for the installation of continuous electrified catenary (overhead cables above the train track) through the station site.

Electrification of the route will help support faster, quieter and more environmentally sustainable rail journeys. Together, these improvements form an important part of modernising the rail network and supporting economic growth, connectivity and decarbonisation across the region.

Thorpe Park Rail Station has been designed to offer a rail industry standard platform height to facilitate future level boarding in accordance with modern accessibility-focussed rolling stock (railway vehicles).

Unfortunately, due to rolling stock historically not being built to a single standard, Thorpe Park Rail Station will not be able to offer level boarding for all trains. Accessible access will be achieved through the use of portable ramps deployed by train crew which can be booked in advance through the Assisted Travel Team or by speaking to the conductor when the train arrives. 

The car park has been sized based on demand modelling and is expected to meet the needs of the station. However the station site is planned in such a way to accommodate a potential future expansion of the station car park if the demand requires it.

The engagement period will take place from the 11 August 2026 – 15 September 2026. We are keen to hear from everyone with an interest in the proposals, including local residents, businesses, those who currently use this section of the railway network, and potential future users of the station. 

You can have your say via www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/thorpepark or email yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk. 

We will also be holding in-person drop in events where you will be able to view the plans and the scheme team will be available to answer any questions. 

Anyone who cannot access the questionnaire online and/or needs to request an alternative format can contact Metroline on 0113 245 7676.

We welcome opinions and feedback from all members of the public. Whether you travel by public transport, walk, wheel, drive, or cycle, are a local resident, business owner, or would like to use Thorpe Park Rail Station in the future, your views, opinions and insights are valuable to us to shape the scheme. 

Please share the link: www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/thorpe-park-rail-station-2026 with anyone you think would be interested in completing the questionnaire 

If you intend to submit a joint response on behalf of a group/organisation, please share the link with your colleagues/members so they can provide an individual response, should they wish to do so.