Northern Powerhouse Rail ‘could transform Bradford’

Monday 22nd March 2021

Today, Monday 22 March 2021, Bradford Council Leader Cllr Susan Hinchliffe is set to outline a “bold” vision for a Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) station in Bradford city centre to help unlock the city’s potential.

Northern Powerhouse Rail ‘could transform Bradford’

Tim Wood, Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) Director at Transport for the North, said: “Bradford is one of the great Northern cities, but its full potential is constrained by poor transport connections.

“It is arguably the most poorly connected major city in the country, the fact a train to nearby Leeds, a journey of around eight miles, can take up to 25 minutes is unacceptable. Yet, despite that, Bradford has continued to grow and thrive thanks the spirit of Bradford’s leaders, people and businesses, but not as much as it could.

NPR Bradford TWood

Northern Powerhouse Rail – with a new line from Manchester to Leeds and a flagship central station in the city – would be transformational not just for the city itself, but the North. It will slash journey times, attract investment and create thousands of jobs for the generations who have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. The boost NPR would bring Bradford’s economy would be billions of pounds larger each year, bringing up to 27,000 extra jobs into the city.

“The central station and new line is a key part of the preferred network Transport for the North’s Board has agreed and is recommending to Government. With the Integrated Rail Plan expected in a matter of weeks, we’re on the cusp of long-term committed investment, which must deliver for the people of Bradford and the North.”

To find out more about Northern Powerhouse Rail

Northern Powerhouse Rail track worker train station high speed train