Prioritise

Bradford rail

Bradford is busy shaping it’s new future but remains the only major Northern city not on a main line to London or directly connected to fast cross-Pennine routes.

We urge the Government to prioritise early delivery of a package of rail proposals to provide Bradford with a 10-minute journey time to Huddersfield, 12 minutes to Leeds and 30 minutes to Manchester.

Significant momentum exists in Britain’s youngest city. We call on the Government to make further investment in Bradford Rail a major part of its upcoming spending review and 10-year infrastructure plan.

Fast Connections,

Unlock Opportunities

Rail investment will unlock agglomeration benefits between major northern cities with shorter journey times and enhance resilience.

12 minutes to Leeds

Under 30 minutes to Manchester

Bradford remains disconnected from the TransPennine Route Corridor and onward to Manchester, significantly constraining the realisation of the growth potential of Britain’s youngest city.

Unlocking the opportunity in Bradford through major infrastructure improvements, regeneration and opportunities such as UK City of Culture 2025 is key to driving growth in West Yorkshire.

Why a new station is a Priority?

  • We’re uniquely positioned in the centre of the core northern city network between Leeds and Manchester

  • Bradford is the only major Northern city not on a main line to London or directly connected to fast cross-Pennine routes

  • The 10-mile journey to Leeds takes 24 minutes and the 40-mile journey to Manchester takes 60 minutes

  • Delivering the Bradford Rail investment is now the key to unleashing Bradford’s economic potential

  • 1 in 4 people are under 16 years old and a third under the age 30

  • 14 of Bradford’s 30 Wards fall within the most 10% deprived areas of the UK

  • Bradford District has 26.3% of all under 16’s in West Yorkshire but 34.6% of its total child poverty. Relative child poverty exceeds 50% in Bradford East (54.6%) and Bradford West (56.2%)

  • If Bradford were to just match the UK average on productivity, enterprise density and employment rates it would unlock more than £4.5bn of additional annual economic output

  • Leeds, Bradford (1.3m) has the largest commuter flows between any two UK cities. Faster connections will deliver “Big Ticket” economic agglomeration benefits

  • Multi-million pound regeneration projects recently delivered have created the urban framework which Bradfords ambitions can now evolve upon.

Quick Facts

  1. A study in 2021 found that Bradford has the worst rail connections of any major UK city.
    Our rail services need a serious upgrade if we’re going to compete with other cities.

  2. Poor transport links have held Bradford back from growing and thriving.
    For too long, our city has struggled because of bad transport links. It’s time to change that!

  3. Bradford reflects modern Britain – it’s time we connect it to opportunity. We’re ready for change, and we need to be linked to the opportunities that will help our city grow and succeed.

  4. Bradford sees very low rail demand when compared to other cities of a similar size. The absence of effective rail connections between Bradford and Manchester Airport is a major constraint to unleashing the economic potential of Bradfords economy.

Once In A Generation Opportunity To:

Boost connectivity

A modern station means faster, more reliable connections to Leeds, Manchester, and beyond. Cutting travel times will open up new opportunities for work, education, and leisure, making Bradford the gateway to the North.

Drive Economic Growth

This isn’t just about transport; it’s about opportunity. A new station will enhance commercial viability, attract investment, create jobs, and bring talent into the city. Bradford’s businesses will thrive with easier access to a wider workforce, and fresh ideas will flow.

Remove barriers to opportunity

A new station means better connections to jobs, apprenticeships, and universities. Young people in Bradford will have easier access to a wider job market and more opportunities for learning and growth. It’s about breaking down barriers and connecting people to the future.

Reduce Car Dominance

The Bradford Rail Programme is a major step toward a cleaner, low-carbon future. By shifting more journeys from road to rail, it will cut emissions, reduce congestion, and support West Yorkshire’s transition to sustainable, net-zero transport.

Inward investment

Private sector curiosity from potential investors is higher than ever before. This has been generated from the October 2023 announcement that the scope of NPR will be expanded to bring Bradford into the programme with an investment of up to £2bn

Productivity Gains

Bradford has one of the UK’s highest business start-up rates, but poor connectivity hampers access to wider markets and talent pools.

Social Mobility

Nearly 39% of Bradford’s population is under 25, making improved transport links essential to connect young people with education, and job opportunities.

Clean Air & Health

Rail travel emits approximately 10 times less carbon per passenger than car travel, making it a significantly greener transport option.

Bradford Rail Plans Have Momentum

Southern Gateway Board

A Southern Gateway Board is well established containing all major Government Departments, key national and regional delivery bodies. The Chair is Nigel Foster, a leading rail consultant in the UK.

Local Growth plan

The recently published the West Yorkshire Local Growth Plan sets out how West Yorkshire will contribute to the UK’s overall growth mission. It featured Bradford as the biggest and most important growth opportunity in West Yorkshire, if not the North of England.

Development Blueprint

Bradford Council recently completed Southern Gateway Development Framework providing a blueprint for on of the UK's largest regeneration sites

Mass Transit Interface

West Yorkshire Combined Authority is considering how its plans for Mass Transit will interact with the new Bradford station to provide a fully integrated transport hub in Bradford city centre

MHCLG

MHCLG recently confirmed funding to model the regeneration-uplift that will be delivered from the new Bradford Rail station

Network Rail

Network Rail is now undertaking key engineering and design studies to provide cost estimates and inform the strategic business case

Department for Transport

DfT recently released £0.5m to expedite station master-planning and views Bradford Rail Programme as a key priority in its delivery of NPH rail

Consultant Partners

Bradford Council has on-boarded Arup as its SGW master-planning partner. WSP conducted previous Development Frameworks for the Southern Gateway regeneration site.

Homes England

In partnership with Homes England, land referencing and assembly studies are now being undertaken

National Wealth Fund

The National Wealth Fund's Local Advisory team are partnering with Bradford Council to seek ways to secure private investment

What is Bradford Rail Programme

This is about delivering a number of strategic objectives;

  1. Improved national connectivity for Bradford

  2. The regeneration of Bradford City Centre and the Southern Gateway regeneration site.

  3. Raise economic activity in Bradford

  4. Remove barriers to opportunity and tackling deprivation

  5. Deliver green transport and the associated health benefits

  6. Achieve value for money for Government and the taxpayer

There are 3 main components to the Bradford Rail Programme:

A New City Centre Rail Station

The existing Bradford Interchange is constrained by its capacity and condition. A new station is needed to deliver an enhanced sense of arrival to Bradford.

A number of potential station locations have been identified through previous development work. These sites are being assessed from an engineering and design perspective and these detail assessments of their characteristics will inform the business case.

Through Line

Journey times and reliability is severely constrained by the current Interchange rail terminus which acts as a cul-de-sac for trains. A timetabled 6-minute time penalty is experienced by passengers. Conflicting train movements create additional delays with Bradford Interchange being the 9th most location on the network for delays caused by a lost path regulated because of another later running train.

A city the size of Bradford requires a through line that provides operational simplicity, can withstand a higher volume of train movements and facilitate greater passenger rail demand. This capacity in Bradford will improve overall resilience on the rail network in this part of the north.

Faster Connections

Journey times of 12 minutes to Leeds and under 30 minutes to Manchester will boost connectivity and productivity enormously.

For too long Bradford has punched under it’s weight, it is time to ensure that economic growth, productivity and prosperity are shared more equally across our country.

Competitive connections to other northern cities and the international gateway of Manchester airport will make Bradford a primary location for the deployment of private capital. It will take Bradford from being a place of marginal viability to one offering a stronger return on investment for private sector investors.

Become a Supporter

Join the growing movement backing the Bradford Rail Programme. Whether you're a local resident, business owner, educator, or simply believe in a better-connected North — we want to hear from you.

Email us at southerngateway@bradford.gov.uk to become a supporter and get involved. Help us send a clear message: Don’t bypass Bradford. Build the station. Connect the North.