Apperley Bridge & Kirkstall Forge

[anti-pacer]

How well are these stations performing in terms of passenger numbers? Is an increase in frequency justified as yet?

 

[Starmill]

Well, Apperley Bridge already has a half hourly service, so it seems very unlikely that a frequency increase is on the horizon.

Kirkstall Forge has been open for less time - it has only been 14 months.

One improvement I would strongly suggest is to either have the 2315 Leeds to Ilkley or the 2319 Leeds to Skipton call at Kirkstall Forge. I'm not quite sure why both skip it. The 2319 did get an Apperley Bridge call inserted when that opened.

 

[Condor7]

I don't have any official numbers but Apperley Bridge car park always seems to be virtually full whenever I have been. Kirkstall Forge on the other hand is half empty.

It doesn't help that surrounding the station is still very much a building site with office blocks and other projects being built, however the main reason I think this is still not as well used is the lack of destinations. Most of the stopping trains are for Leeds in one direction and Ilkley in the other. While this provides a good service to Leeds (and possibly why it was built) There needs to be more trains to Shipley or Skipton in my opinion as there are only six a day and five of them are late afternoon and evening, then passengers could change to travel North to Carlisle or Lancaster

 

[xotGD]

I don't have any official numbers but Apperley Bridge car park always seems to be virtually full whenever I have been. Kirkstall Forge on the other hand is half empty.

It doesn't help that surrounding the station is still very much a building site with office blocks and other projects being built, however the main reason I think this is still not as well used is the lack of destinations. Most of the stopping trains are for Leeds in one direction and Ilkley in the other. While this provides a good service to Leeds (and possibly why it was built) There needs to be more trains to Shipley or Skipton in my opinion as there are only six a day and five of them are late afternoon and evening, then passengers could change to travel North to Carlisle or Lancaster

It would seem reasonable for the Leeds - Bradford services to call at Apperley Bridge but please not the Skipton trains - at peak times they are full of Shipleyites anyway who could be on the Bradford train, and an extra stop will just extend journey times and make the Skipton turnarounds even tighter.

 

[Eric]

The Bradford Forster Squares to Leeds appear to now call at both which appears to make sense. It's added an extra two minutes to the journey.

Anyone for Ilkley or Skipton to change at Shipley?

 

[leedslad82]

The Bradford Forster Squares to Leeds appear to now call at both which appears to make sense. It's added an extra two minutes to the journey.

Anyone for Ilkley or Skipton to change at Shipley?

It's only certain times it calls at both. On Thursday my train which was an ilkley service called at kirkstall. As far as I'm aware the Bradford service just provides some extra calls during the rush hour

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Well, Apperley Bridge already has a half hourly service, so it seems very unlikely that a frequency increase is on the horizon.

Kirkstall Forge has been open for less time - it has only been 14 months.

One improvement I would strongly suggest is to either have the 2315 Leeds to Ilkley or the 2319 Leeds to Skipton call at Kirkstall Forge. I'm not quite sure why both skip it. The 2319 did get an Apperley Bridge call inserted when that opened.

Surely a potential 2345 or even a 0015 from Leeds to Ilkley via Shipley and Baildon could be added to the timetable so to serve both Apperley Bridge and Kirkstall Forge.

 

[johntea]

I fell out big time with Apperley Bridge when they stuck it on as an extra stop for the 21:46 Skipton to Leeds, it makes the connection to the 22:37 Leeds to Sheffield very tight if not impossible where it was usually fine before if you walked at a decent pace!

Luckily I don't work around the area any more so it doesn't affect me any longer

 

[Starmill]

The Bradford Forster Squares to Leeds appear to now call at both which appears to make sense. It's added an extra two minutes to the journey.

Er, the only trains from Leeds to Bradford Forster Square that call at Kirkstall Forge are the 1607 and 1708 M-F, and those plus the 1736 on Saturdays.

The only service from Bradford that calls at Kirkstall Forge M-F is the 1730. The 0658 calls too on Saturdays.

On Sundays, every train Leeds to Bradford FS calls at both, although this is still just one train an hour.

As a result, journeys between Kirkstall Forge and Bradford or Shipley (or even Apperley Bridge!) will require a change at Guiseley.

 

[AndyHudds]

I usee both stations on Friday, caught the Forster Square service to Apperley Bridge walked along the canal to Kirkstall Forge.

Must say I was quite shocked that services don't call at both, whilst I understand Kirkstall Forge is pretty much a building site but the current service is pretty poor at Kirkstall Forge. I was the only person at the station apart from an old boy taking photos and trains were whizzing past every few minutes but not stopping.

I changed at Guiseley to get back to Forster Square.

 

[thejuggler]

Expectation was Apperley Bridge car park would be large enough for 5-7 years before a proposed expansion was required.

After 7 months a decision was taken to extend it and this is now in process. Definately a case of 'build it and they will come'.

Large numbers of Woodhouse Grove pupils use it too. The odd occasion I've used the station it is around 8am and scores of pupils are walking to school.

Pressure on Apperley Bridge car park may be relieved slightly when Shipley Park and Ride is complete in 2-3 years.

I've never used Kirkstall Forge, but in a similar vein to Low Moor, a largely hourly service won't encourage patronage.

 

[Spartacus]

It's easy enough to think a place should get more stops, it's another matter to completely recast the timetable to allow it though. Those Bradford Leeds trains already have a Skipton - Leeds too close for comfort behind them as it is, then if those were pushed back they'd start affecting trains on the Harrogate line and/or the S&C freight paths including those through Leeds station. Once you start messing with the station or freight across Whitehall Jn you're not so much opening a can of worms but blowing it open with dynamite.

 

[deltic08]

It's easy enough to think a place should get more stops, it's another matter to completely recast the timetable to allow it though. Those Bradford Leeds trains already have a Skipton - Leeds too close for comfort behind them as it is, then if those were pushed back they'd start affecting trains on the Harrogate line and/or the S&C freight paths including those through Leeds station. Once you start messing with the station or freight across Whitehall Jn you're not so much opening a can of worms but blowing it open with dynamite.

In that case why was £17m spent building it? What was the result of the benefit/cost analysis for one train an hour in each direction?

 

[Condor7]

It would seem reasonable for the Leeds - Bradford services to call at Apperley Bridge but please not the Skipton trains - at peak times they are full of Shipleyites anyway who could be on the Bradford train, and an extra stop will just extend journey times and make the Skipton turnarounds even tighter.

I remember when the Aire Valley line was four track, like so many changes they are short sighted. Just stand on either Kirkstall Forge or Apperley Bridge, and trains come past every few minutes, so I appreciate that putting more trains on or even adding extra stops puts a strain on the system.

As I indicated earlier I think the reason it was built was to provide a quick and easy service into Leeds, which it does, but more than one train an hour is needed.

The point I was previously making is that if, like my daughter and family, you live near the station, Leeds is your only real option, unless you want to go to Ilkley going in the opposite direction is so limited to be almost unworkable.

I live at the northern end of the Settle & Carlisle line. If they want to gone and see me on the train the only option they have is to catch the 08.32am train and change at Shipley, with no option for the return journey at all. So like tomorrow when they are coming up on the train they are having to drive to Shipley and try and park there, which if any of you have tried it, is not easy as it fills up very quickly in the early morning, frustrating when Kirkstall Forge is so empty.

As I said however I appreciate that wanting something and being able to provide it can be two different things. They could of course make it four track again!!!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I remember when the Aire Valley line was four track, like so many changes they are short sighted. Just stand on either Kirkstall Forge or Apperley Bridge, and trains come past every few minutes, so I appreciate that putting more trains on or even adding extra stops puts a strain on the system.

As I indicated earlier I think the reason it was built was to provide a quick and easy service into Leeds, which it does, but more than one train an hour is needed.

The point I was previously making is that if, like my daughter and family, you live near the station, Leeds is your only real option, unless you want to go to Ilkley going in the opposite direction is so limited to be almost unworkable.

I live at the northern end of the Settle & Carlisle line. If they want to gone and see me on the train the only option they have is to catch the 08.32am train and change at Shipley, with no option for the return journey at all. So like tomorrow when they are coming up on the train they are having to drive to Shipley and try and park there, which if any of you have tried it, is not easy as it fills up very quickly in the early morning, frustrating when Kirkstall Forge is so empty.

As I said however I appreciate that wanting something and being able to provide it can be two different things. They could of course make it four track again!!!

Or they could bring those 323s "home" to make use of the rapid acceleration compared to the 321/322s at least!

 

[Bantamzen]

It's easy enough to think a place should get more stops, it's another matter to completely recast the timetable to allow it though. Those Bradford Leeds trains already have a Skipton - Leeds too close for comfort behind them as it is, then if those were pushed back they'd start affecting trains on the Harrogate line and/or the S&C freight paths including those through Leeds station. Once you start messing with the station or freight across Whitehall Jn you're not so much opening a can of worms but blowing it open with dynamite.

To be honest the Aire / Wharfe triangle is well and truly overdue a complete recast. The addition of these two new stations has already made the existing paths difficult with services frequently tripping over each orher. Chuck in the planned VTECs in a year or two it will cease to work. The proposal to run 2x 331s in the peaks, and the likelihood that their primary focus will be the Skipton - Leeds means that either they could be cast to stop half hourly at Kirkstall, or the Skipton & Bradford services be swapped around to allow the latter to call there instead.

 

[leedslad82]

This is in today's Yorkshire evening post.
" New peak hour stops are to be included on the timetable for Kirkstall Forge station. The facility has seen a 150 per cent increase in passenger numbers since it opened in June 2016. Predicted annual passenger numbers were surpassed within the first five months of the station opening and almost 430 people are now using the service each day. More than 35 per cent have walked or cycled to the station. The five new stops are being included on the latest Northern Rail timetable, but specific details have not been announced. Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West, said: “Kirkstall Forge is certainly boosting the local economy with hundreds of people now working on site. Clear Out Cash in for Christmas. Sponsored by eBay “The train station is being well used and I am delighted that there are now going to be some additional trains at peak times. This follows lobbying by myself as well as Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority. “However, we all know that there is much more to do, and we want to see trains stopping much more frequently. “I will continue to lobby for more train services from next year, when the May timetable is announced. “Having ample free parking, good access by foot and a regular train service will ensure the best deal for local people.” West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee chairman Coun Keith Wakefield said: “Kirkstall Forge station has far exceeded the forecast number of passengers using it and I was pleased to hear the recent news that additional trains will be calling there in the lifetime of the new timetable.” The announcement comes as the station recently won an Economic Productivity Project gong at the North of England Transport Awards at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. CEG is leading the £400million Kirkstall Forge development, which has a strong emphasis on sustainability. Companies such as Zenith, CEG and Butlers bar/restaurant are the first occupiers in Number One Kirkstall Forge and it is now 70 per cent let, with only 32,700 sq ft available."

Read more at: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/new-peak-time-stops-at-station-in-leeds-1-8908655