Leeds station improvement updates

[YorksLad12]

An article appeared on the BBC website today about the drop-off parking situation at Leeds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99lezgpnk4o

It's a bit long to quote from, and it goes all over the place, but the basic gist of it is that some people are having trouble noticing the honking big sign on the wall as you approach and wondering why they're being asked to pay £100. Still, it's good to see the BBC picking up on this... 49 weeks after the new regime started. Train drivers are being fined as well; I hope they're getting that request for money rescinded, they'll only have stopped while someone ahead was turning round, given that they still have the surface car park to use.

The story also, I think, has some dating inaccuracies, as well as news of the apparently unknown man-made mill stream... I thought everyone knew there was a mill stream there!

For passengers at Leeds Railway Station, negotiating long-running building work has become part of the journey in recent years. But now, rail workers and commuters caught out by parking penalties have called for a swift end to the "traffic chaos" caused by roadworks.

Train driver John - not his real name - was hit with a £100 penalty while trying to park at work, saying: "I had a fine myself for literally opening my door – it's absolutely ridiculous."

John says he is among dozens of staff and passengers caught out by restrictions introduced during the long-delayed redevelopment of the site.

 

[Killingworth]

An article appeared on the BBC website today about the drop-off parking situation at Leeds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99lezgpnk4o

It's a bit long to quote from, and it goes all over the place, but the basic gist of it is that some people are having trouble noticing the honking big sign on the wall as you approach and wondering why they're being asked to pay £100. Still, it's good to see the BBC picking up on this... 49 weeks after the new regime started. Train drivers are being fined as well; I hope they're getting that request for money rescinded, they'll only have stopped while someone ahead was turning round, given that they still have the surface car park to use.

The story also, I think, has some dating inaccuracies, as well as news of the apparently unknown man-made mill stream... I thought everyone knew there was a mill stream there!

Don't mention Platform 17 and associated works. At the time of the March 2025 consultation event it was suggested that construction and delivery could begin in late 2026 and 2027. No likely prospect of that.

Another rail completion date being pushed forward into the 2030s?

 

[Allwinter_Kit]

.The story also, I think, has some dating inaccuracies, as well as news of the apparently unknown man-made mill stream... I thought everyone knew there was a mill stream there!

Ah yes, the secret man-made mill stream that was on all the maps and plans of the station including the map of the arches on the wall in the Brewery Tap pub at the edge of the building site?

What a surprise!

 

[quantinghome]

Ah yes, the secret man-made mill stream that was on all the maps and plans of the station including the map of the arches on the wall in the Brewery Tap pub at the edge of the building site?

What a surprise!

Yes, so secret it's been featured in Parish records since the early 14th century!

 

[thejuggler]

An article appeared on the BBC website today about the drop-off parking situation at Leeds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99lezgpnk4o

It's a bit long to quote from, and it goes all over the place, but the basic gist of it is that some people are having trouble noticing the honking big sign on the wall as you approach and wondering why they're being asked to pay £100. Still, it's good to see the BBC picking up on this... 49 weeks after the new regime started. Train drivers are being fined as well; I hope they're getting that request for money rescinded, they'll only have stopped while someone ahead was turning round, given that they still have the surface car park to use.

The story also, I think, has some dating inaccuracies, as well as news of the apparently unknown man-made mill stream... I thought everyone knew there was a mill stream there!

The £100 is a set up. Imagine you have queued for ages, the departure time is approaching, you get just inside the £100 invoice area and see the drop off area rammed. The passenger panics as they have a train to catch, opens door and gets out. Kerching - £100 please. I've read of one case where a driver received an invoice for stopping to put on a seatbelt after paying to exit the NCP!

I refuse to enter the station drop off area completely. I drop off and pick up on the public highway before the station entrance.

 

[thomalex]

The £100 is a set up. Imagine you have queued for ages, the departure time is approaching, you get just inside the £100 invoice area and see the drop off area rammed. The passenger panics as they have a train to catch, opens door and gets out. Kerching - £100 please. I've read of one case where a driver received an invoice for stopping to put on a seatbelt after paying to exit the NCP!

I refuse to enter the station drop off area completely. I drop off and pick up on the public highway before the station entrance.

Yes I’ve been fined, along with most people I know. For me it was a passenger getting out of the car when we were stationary, a major violation as I’m sure you can appreciate.

It really should be more of a scandal than it is as someone has made A LOT of money out of this inadequate arrangement. And of course if there’s no financial incentive to improve it, in fact the incentive is the other way, then it supposedly it will stay like that.

 

[thejuggler]

Yes I’ve been fined, along with most people I know. For me it was a passenger getting out of the car when we were stationary, a major violation as I’m sure you can appreciate.

It really should be more of a scandal than it is as someone has made A LOT of money out of this inadequate arrangement. And of course if there’s no financial incentive to improve it, in fact the incentive is the other way, then it supposedly it will stay like that.

You haven't been fined, you received an invoice, which shouldn't be paid as there is no debt.

 

[xotGD]

Drop off by the Doubletree.

 

[JordR]

Drop off by the Doubletree.

I order my Ubers here now when leaving the station. Much more relaxing.

 

[GoneSouth]

How do you drop off a disabled person who needs assistance through the station? At most stations a taxi can pull up to the door and the driver take for example a blind person into the station entrance. Leeds sounds horrific. I’ve been dropped off their in the past and it used to work fine when the through road was available by the old entrance. Now it sounds like a nightmare.

 

[yorksrob]

The escalator was knacked again this morning !

My preferred "drop-off" point is the one between platforms 12 and 15.

 

[Mag_seven]

Please note that this thread is for updates only. For speculation/suggestions please use this thread:

Future Leeds plans?

For what it's worth, here is an extract from a TfN report from August 2024 proposing a "Leeds Area Task Force": mods note - split from this thread Converging Programmes The West Yorkshire area features at the heart of several programmes, including: - Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) -...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[yorksrob]

I have to say, I find the new cash machines on the concourse extremely temperamental. On a number of occasions they let me go through the process then refuse to give out the cash at the last minute (I manage to withdraw it at another of the machines).

 

[Triang Hornby]

I have to say, I find the new cash machines on the concourse extremely temperamental. On a number of occasions they let me go through the process then refuse to give out the cash at the last minute (I manage to withdraw it at another of the machines).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Jun 2026 ==

Noticed the front of Ticket office is boarded up at moment. What's the plan for this building?

 

[yorksrob]

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Jun 2026 ==

Noticed the front of Ticket office is boarded up at moment. What's the plan for this building?

No idea, personally

 

[TUC]

Worst thing about P17 is that you have to fight the hordes on P16 to get to it. It'd also be difficult to add a second staircase pointing in the right direction, as there's not much space and the Southern entrance is in the way.

P17 is also not particularly well signposted. I'm very familiar with Leeds station, but I rarely use P17 and it took me a few minutes to find it.

 

[speedy1]

I have to say, I find the new cash machines on the concourse extremely temperamental. On a number of occasions they let me go through the process then refuse to give out the cash at the last minute (I manage to withdraw it at another of the machines).

NatWest ones? No surprise. I left NatWest decades ago due to incompetence, and have never looked back lol.

Plenty of alternatives on Park Row. Can highly recommend the Santander Work Cafe during business hours as they have machines inside and staff if you have any issues.

 

[yorksrob]

NatWest ones? No surprise. I left NatWest decades ago due to incompetence, and have never looked back lol.

Plenty of alternatives on Park Row. Can highly recommend the Santander Work Cafe during business hours as they have machines inside and staff if you have any issues.

It seems to be a glitch in the model.

I don't want to berate Nat West too much as they're the only ones who seem to bother to provide them at stations these days !

 

[Killingworth]

It seems to be a glitch in the model.

I don't want to berate Nat West too much as they're the only ones who seem to bother to provide them at stations these days !

Worked for me last week.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Jun 2026 ==

P17 is also not particularly well signposted. I'm very familiar with Leeds station, but I rarely use P17 and it took me a few minutes to find it.

Platform 17 is hard enough to access when you do know where it is thanks to crowds on Platform 16 thronging the area around the footbridge.

 

[YorksLad12]

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Jun 2026 ==

Noticed the front of Ticket office is boarded up at moment. What's the plan for this building?

I think it was originally closed off during the building work, and services transferred to the main tickets winds (thus maintaining level access). But it was always poorly used, so… storeroom? Yet another coffee shop? Tourist Information would be nice (but highly unlikely).

 

[yorksrob]

I think it was originally closed off during the building work, and services transferred to the main tickets winds (thus maintaining level access). But it was always poorly used, so… storeroom? Yet another coffee shop? Tourist Information would be nice (but highly unlikely).

Back in the noughties and tenties it used to have long queues of people buying advenced fares - very well used.

T'interweb did for it.

 

[xotGD]

I have to say, I find the new cash machines on the concourse extremely temperamental. On a number of occasions they let me go through the process then refuse to give out the cash at the last minute (I manage to withdraw it at another of the machines).

Yorkshire cash machines just like Yorkshire folk - careful with their money!

 

[yorksrob]

Yorkshire cash machines just like Yorkshire folk - careful with their money!

Too careful in this case

 

[YorksLad12]

Back in the noughties and tenties it used to have long queues of people buying advenced fares - very well used.

T'interweb did for it.

Yup. Business travel, international rail travel and printed timetables. All gone.

I know what I'd do with the space, but that Speculative, so I'll drop it in the other thread

 

[yorksrob]

Yup. Business travel, international rail travel and printed timetables. All gone.

I know what I'd do with the space, but that Speculative, so I'll drop it in the other thread

It's still a shame about the printed timetables. The rot started when Metro stopped printing the WYorkshire one.

 

[speedy1]

Is Leeps-gate resolved now?

 

[Islandexpress]

What’s the station called again!? ‍♂️

 

[YorksLad12]

Oh Lordy. That’s only the second place it says “City”, though the other one is quite large.

Escalator Watch: platform 8 upwards was out earlier this week, platform 12 was out on Monday.

 

[speedy1]

Been weird to have a "welcome to" above a lift that takes you 'to' the station.

Are you at the station or not?

 

[yorksrob]

What’s the station called again!? ‍♂️

To be fair, that is its full title !