Train services between Bradford and London more than triple thanks to government funding
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-18)

5 additional train services daily will bring an estimated extra £4 million into the local economy each year.

- new platform at Bradford Forster Square station, thanks to £35 million government funding
- will boost daily trains between Bradford and London from 2 to 7, providing an extra 1.9 million train seats a year
- key part of the government’s commitment to investment in transport infrastructure in the North of England and Plan for Change
Passengers in Bradford are now benefiting from improved, increased rail journeys thanks to a multi-million-pound government boost.

Today (19 May 2025) saw the opening of a brand-new platform at Forster Square Station, which is already facilitating 5 additional services a day between Bradford and London.

The new platform and improved station infrastructure will ease congestion and increase access into the city for passengers, commuters and tourists.

Minister for Local Transport, Simon Lightwood, who officially opened the platform, said:

Thanks to £35 million of government investment, rail passengers in Bradford will now be connected to more jobs, education and business opportunities.

These additional services will not only create a more reliable and comfortable journey but bring an estimated extra £4 million into the local economy each year.

After decades of underfunding, this government is investing in change for the people of Yorkshire by delivering the transport system they deserve.

The new services to Bradford come at a key time as they celebrate being the UK’s City of Culture for 2025. Visitors enjoying the celebrations throughout the year will make use of the enhanced timetable, which sees the first train from London to Bradford now arrive at 09:52 compared with 19:30 previously.

Minister Lightwood continued:

You cannot achieve real growth without the transport connectivity to support it. We have an ambitious Plan for Change that’s making a real difference for the people of West Yorkshire, evidenced by large scale projects like this one.

The extra 1.9 million seats annually, increasing weekday services to Bradford by 250%, show that we are delivering our plan, creating more jobs and more opportunities.

Today’s unveiling is part of the government’s wider commitment to investing in transport infrastructure across the North of England and its wider Plan for Change (https://www.gov.uk/missions). Thanks to a £10 billion cash injection from the government, the TransPennine Route Upgrade will provide more capacity on faster, more reliable, greener journeys between Manchester, Leeds and York.

Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield will see their connectivity further improved thanks to the government providing £200 million development funding to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority for the West Yorkshire Mass Transit System.

Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, said:

There is such a positive energy in Bradford at the moment, with the recent transformation of the city centre and the series of amazing City of Culture events.

Increasing capacity at one of West Yorkshire’s flagship city centre stations means the city can really build on this momentum.

This will help us to create a transport system to be proud of and is vital to helping us create a more prosperous and better-connected region.

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said:

I’m so pleased about the new Platform 0 and the important London services that will now happen as a result of the investment. A major city like Bradford needs to be better connected, not just to the capital but also to other major cities in the country. We’ve been able to work with government, Network Rail and the train operators to make this happen in this major year for us.

These services will provide local people with better access to more and better jobs, not just for this year but permanently. There will be more opportunity to travel for education and training and cultural experiences, as well as giving people from across the country more opportunity to visit us and experience all we have to offer.

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