SELRAP Newsletter Interactive 4pm 20th feb 2026 - Flipbook - Page 9
THE PENNINE GATEWAY
Yorkshire’s Success
“A No Brainer”
Skipton Sta琀椀on (John Bentley)
Nelson Sta琀椀on (hall-royd-junc琀椀on.co.uk)
Transformed by electri昀椀ca琀椀on 30 years
ago, the Airedale Line, connec琀椀ng
Skipton to Leeds and Bradford, is today
Northern Rail’s “昀氀agship” service.
Speaking in Parliament in 2019, Pendle’s
former MP, Andrew Stephenson, said
that extending the Airedale Line into
Lancashire is a “no brainer.”
Boosted by two new sta琀椀ons west of
Leeds, passenger growth con琀椀nues to
outperform na琀椀onal trends. Figures
from the O昀케ce of Rail & Road show
that in 2023-24, over 1.2 million people
used Skipton Sta琀椀on, making it busier
than Heathrow Terminal Four (T4).
O昀昀ering a direct and fast rail service
every 30 minutes, the reinstated
“Missing Link” would revitalise the
hearts of many struggling Red Rose
towns. This would widen residents’
work, educa琀椀onal and leisure
opportuni琀椀es, par琀椀cularly for young
people and those without a car.
The growing demand for the fast,
regular service has led Northern Rail to
order longer trains.
Two new sta琀椀ons are proposed, at Colne
and West Craven. Today’s two-hour
journey from Nelson to Leeds would be
halved, to 58 minutes.
Leeds Sta琀椀on (Network Rail)
Kirkstall Forge Sta琀椀on (Northern Rail)
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