Investment in Leeds Station upgrade rises to £303 million, completion targeted for 2030

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 28, the UK government confirmed in the Autumn Budget an additional £200 million for the Leeds Station upgrade. Combined with £103 million in existing funding, total project investment reaches £303 million. Funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and delivered through a partnership between Network Rail and BAM, construction is scheduled to begin at the end of 2026, with a construction period of approximately five years and a target completion date of 2030.

The upgrade works include a new central bridge spanning the tracks, 3 new station entrances, expanded concourse space, and the extension of Platform 14 to accommodate longer trains. The number of ticket gates will increase by nearly 40%, and lift capacity will be increased accordingly. The 3 new entrances will strengthen the station's connections to the city centre's South Bank, Dark Arches and Princes Square.

Leeds Station currently handles over 27 million passengers per year, with approximately 27 million passengers passing through the ticket gates annually, and 8 out of every 10 train services in West Yorkshire start or terminate at the station. The upgraded station's increased capacity directly aligns with the capacity release from the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU).

Whether Platform 17 will be extended depends on subsequent funding arrangements; Network Rail has not listed it as a confirmed element of the current £303 million investment.