Thorpe Park Rail Station

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Background

We are developing plans to build a new rail station on the existing Leeds to York section of the Trans-Pennine railway line - between Cross Gates and Garforth Stations. The station would sit within the wider development at Thorpe Park which is a mixed-use office, commercial and residential area. The site would also be near to the southern end of the East Leeds Orbital Route (ELOR).

Thorpe Park Rail Station received Outline Business Case approval in October 2021. The station is currently in the design phase and working towards Full Business Case. This is due to be completed and submitted to our assurance panel in Spring/Summer 2024. Planning consent will be sought early 2024, with the delivery phase expected to begin in Summer 2024.

The first phase of public engagement regarding this station took place 2 July - 3 August 2018 and a report was produced analysing the feedback we received during this period.

The next phase of public consultation will be conducted as part of the planning process for the new station. This is planned for early 2024. If you haven’t done so already, we encourage you to sign-up to updates on Your Voice to be kept informed of future activity.

For information about the Thorpe Park rail station proposal, and what we engaged the public on in summer 2018, please visit an archived copy of the engagement website.



Project Objectives and Benefits

Improving the rail network is an important part of the strategy 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 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
  • Provide an accessible station for all users
  • Better rail service for local demand (with park and ride for commuters)
  • Encourage more people to travel by public transport
  • Improve rail access for local residents in the East Leeds area
  • Form part of wider connectivity for new transport infrastructure across the East Leeds Extension, offering integrated public transport for existing and new residents
  • Improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions by taking cars off the road
  • Provide station parking for commuters
  • Help employers have access to a wider labour network by creating a better connection to the city centre, and reducing journey times


What is proposed?

The current design proposal for the station includes:

  • Two platforms
  • Footbridge
  • Ticket machines and covered seating area
  • Lift access on both platforms to the footbridge
  • Step free access and egress onto both platforms
  • Cycle lane and cycle storage
  • Bus drop off points
  • Rail services with a minimum of two trains per hour
  • Car park with blue badge parking spaces and electric vehicle charging points
  • Refuge area on platform 1

Climate Emergency

Since the previous engagement, the Combined Authority and Leeds City Council have declared a climate emergency. Tackling the climate emergency is one of the Combined Authority’s four strategic priorities and with our partners, the Combined Authority has set a target to create a net zero carbon Leeds City Region by 2038.

Thorpe Park Rail Station seeks to meet the current demand for sustainable travel to and from the Thorpe Park development. The station will help ease current congestion and associated air quality issues by improving access by public transport, by encouraging fewer people to drive to the area. The station will help to connect new residential areas in the East Leeds Extension and at Thorpe Park to local urban centres such as Leeds and Bradford for typically commuting and leisure purposes. Another aim of the station is to increase sustainable travel, catering for longer distances, typically business trips to urban centres such as York and Manchester with the provision of the park and ride facilities which encourage transfer to rail and reduce car vehicle kilometres driven. The station will help to connect the existing and new office, leisure and retail developments at Thorpe Park to employees and customers throughout West Yorkshire.

The proposal will be informed by the Combined Authority’s Carbon Impact Audit, as will all of the Combined Authority’s transport infrastructure and economic regeneration projects.


Funding and Approvals

The station is currently being funded by the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund. The project will also utilise New Stations Fund funding in the future. The Transport Fund is targeted at enabling key development areas and will help to create about 20,000 new jobs. A number of strategic transport projects will be delivered to facilitate growth identified in the Strategic Economic Plan (SEP). For further information on the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, visit the Combined Authority's Annual Meeting page.

The delivery of the station beyond the Full Business Case is subject to the relevant approvals, as defined in the Leeds City Region Assurance Framework.


Next Steps

Thorpe Park Rail Station is currently working towards Full Business Case. In early 2024, the project will go out to a public consultation where members of the public can view the current proposals and comment on the project; this will be fed back to the project team and will help to inform the station’s proposals and development.

If you would like to keep informed of the project, please register here to be a part of Your Voice.

Please contact us if you would like to receive this information in an alternative format.

Background

We are developing plans to build a new rail station on the existing Leeds to York section of the Trans-Pennine railway line - between Cross Gates and Garforth Stations. The station would sit within the wider development at Thorpe Park which is a mixed-use office, commercial and residential area. The site would also be near to the southern end of the East Leeds Orbital Route (ELOR).

Thorpe Park Rail Station received Outline Business Case approval in October 2021. The station is currently in the design phase and working towards Full Business Case. This is due to be completed and submitted to our assurance panel in Spring/Summer 2024. Planning consent will be sought early 2024, with the delivery phase expected to begin in Summer 2024.

The first phase of public engagement regarding this station took place 2 July - 3 August 2018 and a report was produced analysing the feedback we received during this period.

The next phase of public consultation will be conducted as part of the planning process for the new station. This is planned for early 2024. If you haven’t done so already, we encourage you to sign-up to updates on Your Voice to be kept informed of future activity.

For information about the Thorpe Park rail station proposal, and what we engaged the public on in summer 2018, please visit an archived copy of the engagement website.



Project Objectives and Benefits

Improving the rail network is an important part of the strategy 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 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
  • Provide an accessible station for all users
  • Better rail service for local demand (with park and ride for commuters)
  • Encourage more people to travel by public transport
  • Improve rail access for local residents in the East Leeds area
  • Form part of wider connectivity for new transport infrastructure across the East Leeds Extension, offering integrated public transport for existing and new residents
  • Improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions by taking cars off the road
  • Provide station parking for commuters
  • Help employers have access to a wider labour network by creating a better connection to the city centre, and reducing journey times


What is proposed?

The current design proposal for the station includes:

  • Two platforms
  • Footbridge
  • Ticket machines and covered seating area
  • Lift access on both platforms to the footbridge
  • Step free access and egress onto both platforms
  • Cycle lane and cycle storage
  • Bus drop off points
  • Rail services with a minimum of two trains per hour
  • Car park with blue badge parking spaces and electric vehicle charging points
  • Refuge area on platform 1

Climate Emergency

Since the previous engagement, the Combined Authority and Leeds City Council have declared a climate emergency. Tackling the climate emergency is one of the Combined Authority’s four strategic priorities and with our partners, the Combined Authority has set a target to create a net zero carbon Leeds City Region by 2038.

Thorpe Park Rail Station seeks to meet the current demand for sustainable travel to and from the Thorpe Park development. The station will help ease current congestion and associated air quality issues by improving access by public transport, by encouraging fewer people to drive to the area. The station will help to connect new residential areas in the East Leeds Extension and at Thorpe Park to local urban centres such as Leeds and Bradford for typically commuting and leisure purposes. Another aim of the station is to increase sustainable travel, catering for longer distances, typically business trips to urban centres such as York and Manchester with the provision of the park and ride facilities which encourage transfer to rail and reduce car vehicle kilometres driven. The station will help to connect the existing and new office, leisure and retail developments at Thorpe Park to employees and customers throughout West Yorkshire.

The proposal will be informed by the Combined Authority’s Carbon Impact Audit, as will all of the Combined Authority’s transport infrastructure and economic regeneration projects.


Funding and Approvals

The station is currently being funded by the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund. The project will also utilise New Stations Fund funding in the future. The Transport Fund is targeted at enabling key development areas and will help to create about 20,000 new jobs. A number of strategic transport projects will be delivered to facilitate growth identified in the Strategic Economic Plan (SEP). For further information on the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, visit the Combined Authority's Annual Meeting page.

The delivery of the station beyond the Full Business Case is subject to the relevant approvals, as defined in the Leeds City Region Assurance Framework.


Next Steps

Thorpe Park Rail Station is currently working towards Full Business Case. In early 2024, the project will go out to a public consultation where members of the public can view the current proposals and comment on the project; this will be fed back to the project team and will help to inform the station’s proposals and development.

If you would like to keep informed of the project, please register here to be a part of Your Voice.

Please contact us if you would like to receive this information in an alternative format.

Questions

If you have any questions about the consultation or project, let us know below.

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    My concern is parking. I live in the residential area next to The Springs which is an increasingly popular shopping spot. The carparking is nearly 1,000 cars insufficient at The Springs and is regularly at capacity meaning shoppers park in the residential area making parking for residents difficult. If a Rail Station is also developed with insufficient parking this will put increasing pressure on nearby residents. It would be worth thinking of making the parking of the station multistory to ease demand as the area grows in population next to fields will be 15,000 new houses and over 20,000 people work at Thorpe Park business area and The Springs opposite new ware house business offices near the Railway Station so busy near (M1 junction 46) Park and Rides not possible 300-800 cars to park at Thorpe Park Railway station no room, up the banks steeper need 3 floors multistorey like outside London and any Railway station lots of multistory carpark also "Garforth Railway Station" Terrible parking always full everyday carpark too small only ground floor. Thinking about 5 to 10 years times grow fast lots new houses at Manston Lane with Redrow and Strata Homes, Taylor Wimpey Homes and more estates up the follow East Leeds Orbital Road, lots of new house link to Thorpe Park also people from outside far away go to work to parking at Thorpe Park Railway station multistory because very close to Motorway and East Leeds Orbital Road both very busy road. Think twice important need multistory carpark and need space for cars parking apposite Railway by the old farmhouse (Manston Lane) waste land give you idea. Lay by need for bus stop pull off busy road at Manston Lane (bus 164 & 165) If no multistory carpark more room across over the road at Manston Lane at the corner by roundabout by empty big farmhouse. Many thanks for help

    Thorpe Park Railway station multistory carpark asked 15 days ago

    Thank you for your question. We appreciate your concern regarding parking. 

    The project team, along with delivery partners and the Local Planning Authority, is assessing requirements for parking management strategies to limit any negative impact on local residents. We are currently working on the scheme designs which includes a car park. This will be constructed along with the station and the size of the car park will be based on land area available and the current and future demand for the station. 

    Through the design work, we are reviewing the number of car parking spaces. This will be presented in the Full Business Case which is currently being developed, which includes demand modelling for the station. Any queries regarding the size of the car park at The Springs can be sent via this link as this is not part of the scope of the rail station scheme.

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    Can you please advise what distance is expected between the last remaining house on Ashbourne Avenue (garden overlooking the tracks), and the proposed station/car park? Will the station building itself be on the Ashbourne avenue side or Manston Lane side?

    MH1236 asked 26 days ago

    Thank you for your question. The current proposed station design provides the main access point to Thorpe Park Rail Station from Manston Lane (to the north of the track). 

    The current design for the station does not include a station building but if this was to be re-scoped, the proposal would be for its location to be the north of the tracks on the Manston Lane side. 

    There will also be a southern access to enable access to the southern platforms of the station. 

    Survey works are currently being carried out to inform the design with the aim of having a detailed design to present as part of a future public consultation.

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    Is this stations still planned. I live in the area and would be so pleased to leave the car at home and use this station. I do however note that construction has halted at the white rose centre station, will this affect this station also?

    lyndsey asked 29 days ago

    Thank you for your question. 

    One of the main objectives of the scheme is to move people away from car use and to more sustainable travel in a bid to reduce congestion and air pollution, so it is fantastic to hear that you would like to use the proposed station. 

    The Thorpe Park Rail Station Scheme has been allocated a funding pot from the Department for Transport, through West Yorkshire Transport Fund, Leeds Public Transport Investment Programme and New Station Fund 3. 

    The scheme continues to progress through design development with survey works starting on site recently and we aim to deliver a Full Business Case to the Strategic Portfolio Office in Summer 2024, in accordance with the Assurance Framework, which will evaluate if Thorpe Park Rail Station scheme meets the strategic aims of the organisation. 

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    With Thorpe Park a possible stop on the proposed Mass Transit scheme (as discussed by WYCA Jan 24), are allowances being made for the car park to serve this and for interchange between train and mass transit?

    garethleeds asked 3 months ago

    Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding our mass transit proposals for West Yorkshire. Your question was passed to the Mass Transit team, as it relates to Mass Transit in West Yorkshire.

    In your question, you refer to ‘as discussed by WYCA Jan 24’ - are you able to expand on this further? Was this a meeting that you attended with CA colleagues? If so, it would be useful if could share more details on this. 

    As the plans for mass transit are in very early development, we are not able to provide the detail you have requested as the information is simply not yet confirmed. 

    We would instead encourage you to check our webpage here for our mass transit updates. We will issue updates when new information is available for mass transit and when we are ready to show our plans in a public consultation.

    When the mass transit plans have progressed and are ready for public consultation you will be able to learn more on the details, such as where the first routes are proposed to be, why we have developed the routes, what the benefits will be and how long mass transit will take to build. 

    By consultation stage we will have undertaken further feasibility and design work so will have more detailed information to share and you will be able to ask any questions to our development team. During the public consultation period you will be able to give your feedback on the plans so that it can be used in the design development to help us decide on a preferred route for mass transit.

    We appreciate you getting in touch and for your interest in the mass transit proposals.

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    Where will the line connect to? i.e. will the service run direct from Leeds City Centre/York? What other stations will be connected? I work within the Business Park but i'm based in North Yorkshire. It would be good to have a reliable train service I can use instead of my car.

    BPQ asked 3 months ago

    Thank you for your question. Thorpe Park Rail Station will be located on the TransPennine Route between York and Leeds. The Combined Authority and Network Rail are currently in discussions with the Train Operating Companies to determine the most suitable timetable solution that ensures sufficient provisions for all passengers. We will be able to confirm the timetable and routes including the services once we have progressed through the assurance process and submitted the Full Business Case.  

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    Is this still on track (sorry for the pun) for work starting in 2024 and what is the planned opening date?

    Muck asked 3 months ago

    Thank you for your question. Puns are always welcome! 

    Thorpe Park Station is currently working through the detailed design phase and towards the submission of a Full Business Case, where we are collaborating with Network Rail, our partner on this project, to provide a fully updated programme. Once we have worked through this phase we will be able to provide an accurate programme including a planned opening date.

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    Will this station impact on Crossgates station- ie will the latter be closed down? I really hope not.

    RosieD asked 4 months ago

    Thank you for your question - there are no station closures anticipated associated with building of the new rail station at Thorpe Park. 

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    Can you provide a plan of where the station will be situated

    VS asked 4 months ago

    Hi there, thank you for getting in touch. Please see the following image which gives the approximate location of the new Rail Station: 

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    I am very much looking forward to the new station being built, it will be a great hassle-free way to get in to Leeds/York city centres. Are there likely to be audio announcements at the station regarding train arrival times/delays or will these be displayed on live update boards at the station for passengers to read? Additionally, will the roads on the neighbouring Redrow housing estate be subject to permit parking to prevent passengers parking there? Occasionally the Springs visitors park on the estate when the Springs car park is full at peak times, I am concerned that this may escalate further once the train station is complete.

    Local Resident asked 5 months ago

    Thank you for your question. 

    In response to your query regarding audio announcements and live update boards, currently the designs are not at an advanced enough stage to have this level of information determined. This will be confirmed by Network Rail and the train operator in the next phase of works (at the detailed design stage). 

    The parking management strategy for Thorpe Park Rail Station is currently being agreed. The project team are working closely with delivery partners and the local planning authority to ensure that parking in the area is managed effectively, this includes modelling the demand for the car park. The project isn’t yet at a point where we can confirm whether parking permits will be necessary at the neighbouring Redrow Housing estate.

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    Will there be anything to prevent people parking on the new Thorpe Park estates if there are no spaces in the cark park?

    Tommy asked 5 months ago

    Thank you for your question. The parking management strategy for Thorpe Park Rail Station car park is currently being agreed. Thorpe Park and The Springs do currently have a parking management strategy in place which should deter rail users from using the car park at The Springs. This will be closely monitored and assessed after station opening. We are working closely with neighbouring stakeholders to implement an effective strategy.

Page last updated: 20 Oct 2023, 08:32 AM