Garforth rail station car park to get an extra 85 spaces to help reduce city centre congestion

26 July 2019

Work to create an extra 85 car parking spaces at Garforth rail station car park gets underway on Monday 15 July.

When complete, the scheme will increase the number of free parking spaces to 337, including 16 Blue Badge bays. Creating the additional spaces will help reduce costly and polluting congestion by making it possible for more people to complete their journeys into Leeds by train.

Financed by the Combined Authority through the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, the £1.12 million Garforth scheme is one of a number of West Yorkshire station car park extensions potentially starting in 2019/20. The others include Moorthorpe, Mytholmroyd, Outwood and Steeton & Silsden.

As well as the extra spaces, the scheme will provide CCTV and low energy lighting, enhanced drainage infrastructure to prevent pollution from fuel and oil run-off and the provision of electrical ducting for potential future electric vehicle charging points.

Improvements to the station access have already been completed ahead of the project. The main car park works will commence on Monday 15 July and last for approximately six months. During this time the car park will be reduced to approximately 100 spaces with no nearby on-street parking .

To help commuters who currently park at Garforth, station managers Northern and the Combined Authority will be introducing dedicated, multi-occupancy (car share) spaces for vehicles with two or more rail users in their car.

Station users will also be told about the nearby Temple Green park and ride from where they can catch frequent bus services to and from Leeds city centre for as little as £2.70 per day. Directions to Temple Green, which was another West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund scheme, are being supplied.

Cycling, walking and local bus services are being highlighted as options for those people living closer to Garforth station.

Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee said:

“We established the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund in 2014 to invest in schemes designed to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region by improving road, bus, rail and other links over a 20-year period.

“Garforth is just the latest station on the West Yorkshire rail network where we are extending the car park to increase the opportunity for commuters to park and ride by train for the last part of their journey.

“As a result of Transport Fund schemes, we are creating around 2,000 of these new spaces at West Yorkshire stations, which will take the overall total in West Yorkshire to around 7,000. By encouraging people to park and ride by train and bus, we are helping to combat congestion and the pollution it causes in our town and city centres.”

Pete Myers, Northern’s Stakeholder Manager said:

“It’s inevitable that in the short term the number of available parking spaces will reduce, while the construction work takes place but this is so that we can create this significant expansion and improvement and to the car park. .

“We hope that customers to bear with us through this period, and assure them we will do all that we can to ensure that the maximum number of spaces are kept open during the work and that the project is completed as quickly as possible.

The West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund is supported through the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of Government investment delivered in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.

In the lead up to work starting on the main car park extension scheme, leaflets posters and on-train announcements will be used to make passengers aware of the forthcoming works. Additionally, Northern staff will be at Garforth Rail Station to provide information for commuters.

For more information on alternative ways to travel to the station and useful information please visit https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/garforth-parkin

Car sharing

People considering car sharing for their journeys and looking for a car share buddy are being advised to ask neighbours and colleagues if they need a lift to Garforth, or take a look at these websites:

Temple Green park and ride

Buses run between Temple Green park and ride and Leeds city centre every10-15 minutes and tickets cost from just £2.70. Temple Green is located just off Junction 45 of the M1 and the Sat Nav postcode is LS9 0PS.

Details can be found at www.wymetro.com/temple-green g

Cycling

There is secure bike parking available at the station and people can plan their route using the Cycle Journey Planner at www.cyclemap.cyclecityconnect.co.uk/journey.

Walking

A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise.