Number of trains between Bradford, Ilkley and Skipton to be slashed

Between 9.30am and 3pm on Mondays to Saturdays the services on the Wharfedale Line between Bradford and Ilkley, which includes stops at Baildon, Menston and Guiseley, will be cut from one every half hour to one an hour.

On the Airedale line between Bradford and Skipton, which includes stops at Saltaire, Bingley and Keighley, there will be a similar cut between 9.30am and 3pm – services dropping from two an hour to one an hour.

Peak time and evening services will remain at their current levels.

Northern Rail has said the cut is needed to help reduce the high number of train cancellations caused by staff shortages.

But Bradford Council’s Leader has said the services “must be restored” as soon as possible.

Services between Leeds and Ilkley and Leeds and Skipton will be left unscathed in the new timetables, which will be introduced in May.

Details of the cuts will be discussed at a meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee this morning.

A report to members shows that a 5am service from Leeds to Huddersfield, via Bradford, will also be withdrawn.

But in a rare bit of good news for Bradford rail users there will be an additional hourly service between Leeds and Chester via Bradford and Manchester Victoria on Sundays.

At the same meeting, members will hear that the most recent figures for rail performance show that between December 11 and January 7, over seven per cent of Northern trains in the region were cancelled.

The report to the Transport Committe says: “Northern’s reduced frequency between the peaks on the Bradford – Ilkley / Skipton services is intended to reduce cancellation levels whilst availability of train crews remains tight, by creating more spare driver capacity.

“This position is expected to recover as more staff are trained and long-term sickness levels improve. Existing half-hourly service levels in the morning and evening peaks are maintained, including those serving local school flows.

“Direct engagement by (Bradford Council Leader) Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe and the Mayor ensures that Northern understands the need to reinstate the daytime frequency to half-hourly when possible.

“However, full reinstatement will be subject to agreement by Rail North Partnership as part of the Business Plan process.

“We will continue to work with and through Transport for the North to make the case via the Rail North arrangements, and Cllr Hinchcliffe has made specific representations on this matter at Rail North Committee.”

Bradford Forster Square Station sign (Image: newsquest)

A similar cut in services between the Bradford and Ilkley/Skipton was introduced last May, with Northern saying at the time that the cuts were “short term.”

The original time tables were restored in December, but now, just a few months later, reduced services appear to be returning.

Tony Baxter, regional director at Northern, said: “Timetable change moments provide an opportunity to tackle operational issues affecting our services across West Yorkshire where, over the last six months, we have been forced to issue more short notice cancellations than we would have liked.

“As such, we plan to reduce a number of off-peak services in the middle of the day – whilst still providing a half-hourly service at peak times - to ensure more resilience for those trains we are able to run. We will, of course, review all service provision on our network as part of future timetable planning.”

Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “I have been very insistent with Northern that they protect this valuable service.

“I pressed hard to ensure full timetables were reinstated last December after the Covid-related reductions.

“As a result, and in contrast to last year, Northern have agreed to protect the peak and school services on these routes as they work to resolve the staffing issues that they are now experiencing.

“However I have made it very clear that the off-peak services must also be restored. Northern are committed to working with us in Bradford district to ensure that is the case and that the services are reinstated during 2024 and ahead of UK City of Culture 2025.

“This will require financial commitment from Government so I will continue to make the case for the important role local rail services play in creating opportunities and for driving local growth.

“The government now needs back up its own rhetoric with investment, because if Levelling Up is to mean anything it must include increasing, not cutting, rail services for Bradford district and the North.”

The changes being introduced in May are below: Ilkley to Bradford trains at 9:51, 11:51, 13:51, and 14:51 are removed Mondays to Saturdays, resulting in an hourly service during the middle of the day.

Bradford to Ilkley trains at 9:16, 10:16, 11:16, 12:16, 13:16 and 14:16 are removed Mondays to Saturdays, resulting in an hourly service during the middle of the day.

Ilkley to Bradford trains at 9:51, 11:51, 13:51, and 14:51 are removed Mondays to Saturdays, resulting in an hourly service during the middle of the day.

Bradford to Ilkley trains at 9:16, 10:16, 11:16, 12:16, 13:16 and 14:16 are removed Mondays to Saturdays, resulting in an hourly service during the middle of the day.