TODAY’S nostalgia centre spread is a graphic reminder of why Bradford desperately needs a new railway station fit for the 21st Century.

One cannot help wondering why city planners thought it was a good idea to bulldoze the Exchange station, with its wonderful arched canopies, and replace it with the wholly inadequate Bradford Interchange.

Being charitable, rail passenger numbers had been falling for some years when the Exchange was demolished in 1973 and the idea of combining trains and buses seemed like an exciting prospect.

When it opened 45 years ago the Interchange was hailed as a ground-breaking piece of European design.

But that was then and this is now; the Interchange is no longer fit for purpose.

Rail passenger numbers have soared and poor connectivity is holding back the city’s potential for attracting new businesses.

As the gateway to our city the Interchange sends the wrong message to visitors. It feels like a throwback to a different era.

And at night the Interchange can sometimes be an intimidating place to have to wait for a bus or a train.

The Government has pledged extra money to upgrade the Interchange and that is very welcome but the real improvement will only come when the Northern Powerhouse rail project receives the go-ahead and Bradford gets the railway station it truly deserves.

Building a new high-speed line to serve the city centre will be hugely expensive. It will take years and Bradfordians will have to put up with the disruption. But the prize is surely worth the discomfort.