Mayor to meet airport bosses about parkway station

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin is to meet Leeds Bradford Airport bosses about a proposed parkway station.

Councillors from West Yorkshire have voted to move ahead with plans for a railway station that would serve the airport, with the leader of Bradford Council saying he was "delighted" to support the scheme.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) was given an update on the plans at a meeting on Thursday, with Brabin saying she was "determined" to make sure the proposed station was finally approved.

Brabin also said she would speak to airport bosses at an event in the coming days, where they would "set out the vision to get this delivered".

Plans for a railway station to serve the airport at Yeadon were first mooted over a decade ago, and an outline business case approved in 2020, but there has been little progress since.

A report to WYCA members said a parkway station could be built on the Harrogate line, between Horsforth Station and Bramhope Tunnel, and passengers would then travel to the airport by a shuttle bus.

The station was estimated to cost about £65m to build.

The report said the lack of a nearby station was a "drag" on the growth of the airport, and a new facility would dramatically increase the number of passengers able to arrive at Leeds Bradford Airport by public transport.

Introducing the report, Brabin said: "This station has long been an ambition for our region.

"I know some have been frustrated by the pace of progress, but this development will be a game-changer.

"I am determined to make sure this project finally gets approved."

The station parkway was also expected to help develop a North West Leeds Employment Hub, an 89 acre (36 hectare) strategic employment site adjacent to Leeds Bradford Airport, and allow the development of more homes in the area, members were told.

They were asked to "endorse continued development of the Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway project, including the completion of a full business case; completion of necessary ground investigation work at the site; identification of a workable timetable for Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway, including definition of any network enhancements required, and identification of a funding strategy for the station."

Leeds Labour councillor Salma Arif said: "I really welcome this and what it will mean for jobs in the area."

Stephen Place, Reform leader of Bradford Council, said: "I'm delighted to be supporting this. Leeds Bradford Airport is a vital hub for the region.

"I do believe a shuttle bus from Apperley Bridge Station would alleviate a lot of transport issues for passengers in the area."

Alan Lamb, a Conservative Leeds councillor, added: "This is absolutely critical for Leeds and the wider region. It is a tricky project to deliver because of the topography."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting service, he said it would also unlock jobs and housing land, saying it would have a "huge impact" beyond just transport to and from the airport.

Lamb also asked officers if they could give any timing for the works, adding: "Can you tell us when people will be able to start getting trains?"

Simon Pope, transport capital programme director, said it would take "at least two years to get to the point where we have a full business case".

That would involve investigations into what level of rail service the new station would be able to provide, Pope added.

Members voted to push ahead with the plans.

The West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has also thrown its weight behind the plans.

Mark Casci, its head of policy and representation, said the chamber was "massively supportive of any efforts" to build the parkway station.

"We would wish to see a positive and speedy decision made regarding its approval," he said.

"The leadership team at Leeds Bradford Airport is very ambitious and its recent refurbishment is delivering a much better passenger experience.

"But the key next step is connectivity and new routes, something the station will enable."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.