Work to restart on railway station after 'deadlock'

Work will resume on the part-finished White Rose Station "within the next few months", the mayor of West Yorkshire has announced.

Construction stalled on the railway project, between Cottingley and Morley, in March 2024 after costs rose above the £26m budget.

Mayor Tracy Brabin said issues had now been resolved after talks between the rail industry and West Yorkshire Combined Authority ended the "deadlock".

"We know this delay has caused frustration, but we can now move ahead with delivering a much-needed new station for the area – acting as catalyst for regeneration and growth," she added.

Situated on the Leeds to Huddersfield line, the station is being built next to the White Rose Business Park and is near the White Rose Shopping Centre.

On 22 January, combined authority members will be asked to approve £1.4m of development funding and enter an agreement with Network Rail.

An update on full costs associated with completing the scheme, an estimated completion date and information on appointing contractors will be discussed in a future meeting.

Work still requiring completion at the station included external cladding, internal fit out and mechanical and electrical works, according to the combined authority.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "We're pleased to see progress being made on resolving issues related to White Rose Station.

"We will continue to assist West Yorkshire Combined Authority to help deliver this important new station."

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