Leeds station is to receive a further £200 million of government funding, announced in the Budget on 28 October 2026, taking total investment in the station to more than £300 million. The Department for Transport says the upgrades will be delivered by 2030 and will include a new central overbridge, three new entrances, more concourse space and a longer platform 14. Nearly 40% more ticket barriers and increased lift capacity are also planned, aimed at cutting queues and easing crowding at what the government describes as the UK's third busiest station outside London.

Three new entrances for the city centre

The three entrances are intended to strengthen links between the station and the city centre, improving access to South Bank, the Dark Arches and Princes Square. Ministers say the changes will support regeneration, jobs and commercial opportunities across Leeds, as well as giving passengers more direct routes through the station. Leeds currently handles more than 27 million passengers a year, with eight in ten West Yorkshire services starting or ending there, and passenger numbers are forecast to rise by almost 12 million a year by 2043.

Preparing for bigger northern rail plans

The station work is also designed to pave the way for larger schemes, including the £11 billion Transpennine Route Upgrade, which is expected to raise passenger capacity by 30% and electrify key routes across the North, and Northern Powerhouse Rail. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the investment would turn Leeds station into one passengers could be proud of, while West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin called the station the beating heart of the region's transport network. The test for passengers will be whether the building work itself can be delivered without years of disruption.

Sources: GOV.UK, RailAdvent.