New Bradford Interchange station confirmed for Northern Powerhouse Rail
The government says a replacement station will allow through trains between Leeds and Manchester, with delivery planned for the 2030s.
The UK government confirmed on 20 October 2026 that it plans to build a new station at Bradford Interchange in West Yorkshire, a step toward running through trains between Leeds and Manchester under Northern Powerhouse Rail. Passengers are promised more frequent services, but the government expects the replacement station to be delivered in the 2030s.
What the Bradford Interchange plan would change
The new station is planned for the current Bradford Interchange site. The Guardian reported that its layout would allow trains to run through Bradford between Leeds and Manchester. The Department for Transport also named York among the cities whose connections with Bradford it expects to improve, and said journeys should become faster and more reliable.
The department described its ambition as a ‘turn-up-and-go’ railway, with multiple trains an hour between major northern cities. That is a planned service pattern, rather than a timetable for trains operating today. The government says the new station will replace the existing one, which dates from the 1970s.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander called the decision an ‘important milestone for Bradford’ and said bringing Northern Powerhouse Rail into the city would support new homes, jobs and opportunities. The government said it chose the Bradford Interchange location with West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin.
How the station fits Northern Powerhouse Rail
The Guardian reported that approval of the station is viewed by northern leaders as an important sign of commitment after long delays to promised rail upgrades. It expects the station to be built by the mid-2030s; the government's stated delivery window is the broader 2030s. Neither account establishes a detailed construction schedule.
Northern Powerhouse Rail was first promised in 2014. The Guardian reported that the government's January 2026 plan set a £45bn funding cap, potentially supplemented by local contributions. That plan starts with improvements to existing lines around Yorkshire and also includes a proposed new line between Liverpool and Manchester.
Bradford Council estimates that delivering the station alongside the proposed West Yorkshire mass transit network could bring more than £1bn in economic benefits. The estimate depends on those projects being delivered; it is a council projection rather than a benefit already realised.
Read in depth: Business
France summons Vinted and other marketplaces over suspected looted goods listings
French ministers called online marketplaces to a meeting after suspected listings appeared following weekend looting. Vinted says it has removed potentially linked items and...
Prosecutors allege Saudi support for former OpenAI employee accused of planting recorder
A new detention filing cites Abdulrahman Alfozan’s contacts with a Saudi royal family member and travel arrangements for his family. His lawyer disputes that he is a flight risk.
Sources and context
- New Bradford railway station will ‘transform travel across the north’The Guardian (Gwyn Topham, Transport correspondent)
- Full steam ahead: new station for BradfordDepartment for Transport and The Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.