Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway Business Case and Engineering Report

West Yorkshire Combined Authority have responded my Freedom of Information request for information on their business case on the station. They responded with a business case and an engineering report done in 2025. The link to the FOI can be found here as the files are too big to attach to the post https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/leeds_bradford_airport_parkway_s_2 The business case goes through their plan in 2019 for the construction of the station and the engineering report goes over the feasibility of building the station.

In the response letter when talking about the business case they state,

Attached to this response are two documents. The first is business case document. We should clarify that this business case is not a complete document. It is a draft produced
in 2019, work to update it has not yet resumed, and no date has currently been set for that work to begin. It should not be treated as reflecting the current position on the scheme.

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It’s good they are provided the business case from 2019 but it is worrying that that parts of the project are, as I understand, not progressing. While they did an engineering report in 2025, it does feel like nothing is happening and they aren’t too bothered about building this station.

Edited to comply with forum rules

That’s interesting. The comments about Starbeck station on page 22/23 interest me as well. I am guessing that the plan is to extend the York bound platform towards Harrogate and move the current signal towards Harrogate to create an overlap that doesn’t require the barriers on the very busy Starbeck High Street level crossing to be lowered as early as they currently are when a York bound train approaches.

bluenoxid said:

That’s interesting. The comments about Starbeck station on page 22/23 interest me as well. I am guessing that the plan is to extend the York bound platform towards Harrogate and move the current signal towards Harrogate to create an overlap that doesn’t require the barriers on the very busy Starbeck High Street level crossing to be lowered as early as they currently are when a York bound train approaches.

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Road traffic passing over a level crossing is not an obstruction for the purpose of accepting a train on AB. I worked Starbeck as a relief signaller but can't remember whether the barriers had to he lowered to permit a Knaresborough bound train to access the platform ( which woukd have been unusual). But the Chief Signalling Inspector constantly reminded us that drivers must be given green signals whenever possible so moving the signal back towards Harrogate would not reduce barrier down time. That said new signals are not now sited close to level crossings thus an overlap is provided. But again that wouldn't alter barrier down time.

Midland Man said:

I worked Starbeck as a relief signaller but can't remember whether the barriers had to he lowered to permit a Knaresborough bound train to access the platform ( which woukd have been unusual).

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They do have to be lowered before the train can be permitted into the platform.