Leeds Station Improvement

[Rikki Lamb]

About six quid (five for a sausage roll).

Yes, I have partaken on a tight connection, but not being an ABC1, I shop around when I have the chance.



Fried eggs, fried slice, beans, tinned tomato... etc

That's what the station needs, not loads of Yuppie outlets.

You'll be hard pressed to find such an establishment in Leeds City Centre now it is all gentrified, let alone the station. Does the Beer House offer food?

 

[GoneSouth]

You'll be hard pressed to find such an establishment in Leeds City Centre now it is all gentrified, let alone the station. Does the Beer House offer food?

Yes, there was a menu on the table when I popped in a couple of weeks ago but I didn’t sample anything. Think it’s the usual microwaved pub fayre but apologies if I’m wrong

Next door is the M&S on the corner, am I right in thinking this used to be a Burger King ?

I laugh when we complain about the lack of Greggs, does anybody remember what food m was available in the station in the darkest BR days in the late 70s or early 80s? Not a lot is my guess, and certainly no 6 quid pasties on the bridge

 

[sprite]

You need to try Riveresque.

Good food there!

Not everyone's choice of decent food.

Better than Greggs, never had bones in sausages anywhere but Greggs.

 

[class 9]

Perhaps it's because there's already a Greggs on Boar Lane at the end of New Station St.
5 mins walk?

Not a problem at Newcastle one in the station and one directly across the road, no more than 50 metres apart!

 

[Spartacus]

About six quid (five for a sausage roll).

Yes, I have partaken on a tight connection, but not being an ABC1, I shop around when I have the chance.



Fried eggs, fried slice, beans, tinned tomato... etc

That's what the station needs, not loads of Yuppie outlets.

If you've time Riveresque by Leeds bridge does a good breakfast.

Leeds has always been a bit badly served when it comes to that sort of place, other than in and around the market, and quite a bit of that's changed in the last few years, the Olympic near the Corn Exchange being a notable loss.

 

[yorksrob]

If you've time Riveresque by Leeds bridge does a good breakfast.

Leeds has always been a bit badly served when it comes to that sort of place, other than in and around the market, and quite a bit of that's changed in the last few years, the Olympic near the Corn Exchange being a notable loss.

Yes, I remember using the Olympic. Unfortunately it's a bit out of the way for me, even if it had survived.

 

[YorksLad12]

Although we have drifted slightly off topic, the thought occurs: why couldn't they bring the redundant shop unit into use for the temporary affairs on the Northern Concourse, to get them out of the way of the hoardes of people with luggage that use that entrance? Does anyone know why it's not in use?

 

[yorksrob]

You'll be hard pressed to find such an establishment in Leeds City Centre now it is all gentrified, let alone the station. Does the Beer House offer food?

It does, and does do breakfast.

To be honest, I often end up nipping down the road to the Premier Inn for breakfast if I've got the time.

 

[ASharpe]

Off topic I know buy can I share this.

https://twitter.com/LNER/status/1681692691636125699?t=ZRjAp0Yhs30wUPwT0qMLgw&s=19

Shows a shortcut to platform 10.

 

[Halifaxlad]

On topic: does anybody know why a set of scaffolding steps have appeared on the Northern concourse to gain access to the void above the ticket office and ticket machines ?

 

[YorksLad12]

Leeds seems to be in signage hell at the moment. There's a rail replacement buses one at the foot of the stairs on the western footbridge - you wouldn't see it if you were coming down the stairs, and it's not much use there anyway unless there's a Muster Point for RRB passengers on the train side of the gateline instead of on the concourse.

Coming out the North Concourse car parks exit, there's a sign - fairly high up - that says that pick-up will be done inside the multi-storey. Except, they're not - jacketed staff are pointing people to the road *outside* the multi-storey, which is frequently blocked by cars doing or waiting to make those pick-ups (on double yellows). Yesterday evening there was a lot of traffic, and cars were backed up as far as the rail staff surface car park. Lots of horn-beeping as a result...

At least the two big signs pointing people to the taxi rank are accurate... and as unsubtle as they can be, which is good!

On topic: does anybody know why a set of scaffolding steps have appeared on the Northern concourse to gain access to the void above the ticket office and ticket machines ?

Can't help you with that one, sorry. Thought it was just above the ticket office - something to do with the clock?

 

[johntea]

I would love to know when they're planning to finish fixing the down escalator by Platform 6, it must have been out of use for coming up to about 3 months now!

 

[ASharpe]

I would love to know when they're planning to finish fixing the down escalator by Platform 6, it must have been out of use for coming up to about 3 months now!

Before the hoarding went up there were a few people working on it. Since then just improvements to the hoardings it seems.

 

[YorksLad12]

Does anyone know why the gate behind the LNER kiosk off P8 isn't open (or removed)? In the before times it was on the other side of the gate line (I did see someone hurdle it once - exiting, of course) but now it's on the train side of the gate line.

I ask because on Monday, 9am, that area was full of people waiting for an LNER train to come in. This made it difficult to get past them, and even worse if, like me, you wanted to head east or had just arrived at that side of the station and were trying to get past them. This evening, returned to find a load of passengers stadingthere waiting for... something, as the 1808 CrossCountry disgorged lots of passengers who then had to fight their way past to get out.

Opening the gate (or removing it, and remodeling to great a gentler slope of steps & handrail) would provide a way around them. But I figure people have thought of this already, so... does anyone know why it's still there?

 

[Adam0984]

I guess it retains a better flow of people instead of hoards of people coming round the blind corner to the wrong side of the ticket gates to exit the station

 

[YorksLad12]

I guess it retains a better flow of people instead of hoards of people coming round the blind corner to the wrong side of the ticket gates to exit the station

I did wonder if it was ped flow. Anyone coming off P8/from the east and through where the gate is would have to cross in front of everyone entering the station in order to reach an exit gate (because Leeds has a 50-50 split of gates instead of the 25-50-25 split it used to have before the new gate line went in). But there's a smaller flow round that corner than that heading to/from the escalator & steps

 

[HarryL]

That kiosk generally doesn't make much sense being where it is anymore. They should have moved it when they moved the gate line and opened the whole space up.

 

[ASharpe]

Does anyone else think the station is getting a bit overun with information screens. There are a coupe tucked away by Platform 4/5 advising about transpenine services that don't use those platforms.

There is still a massive on dumped in the middle level of the south concourse telling us the station is cleaned regularly.

 

[YorksLad12]

Does anyone else think the station is getting a bit overun with information screens. There are a coupe tucked away by Platform 4/5 advising about transpenine services that don't use those platforms.

TPE stopping services do use P0/P1 on occasion, especially if there's a problem and they need to salt a unit out of the way for a while (no sidings at Leeds this side of the west end signals and throat). But yes, it does seem to be getting a bit cluttered; even the new bits, such as the finger-pointer on the South Concourse usually has an odd sign or two stick on the bottom.

If you happen to be high enough (say, the top deck of a passing bus, as I was) on Bishopgate Street, they've started removal of the stone wall, revealing some interesting-looking small arches. Not train-sized. Or people sized, from my brief view. Sadly, they won't be disappearing from view soon - this is a long project, and as a local resident I'm already fed up of it

Also: the first photo in this gallery might be of interest to some: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co...oto-memories-from-the-end-of-a-decade-4366186

 

[Halifaxlad]

That kiosk generally doesn't make much sense being where it is anymore. They should have moved it when they moved the gate line and opened the whole space up.

It would be a lot better if they just get rid of the pointless fence at the side of it!

 

[Mugby]

I went to Leeds yesterday and was surprised to see everything outside the main entrance has been swept away, the taxi loading area, bus stops etc., there's nothing left except a few steel beams which used to hold up the frontage area outside. I noticed signs saying no pedestrian access to City Square although I never usually go that way, I normally turn right and follow the road round to Boar Lane.

What exactly is going to happen? will any vehicles ever have any access to the main entrance again or is something else planned?

 

[HarryL]

I went to Leeds yesterday and was surprised to see everything outside the main entrance has been swept away, the taxi loading area, bus stops etc., there's nothing left except a few steel beams which used to hold up the frontage area outside. I noticed signs saying no pedestrian access to City Square although I never usually go that way, I normally turn right and follow the road round to Boar Lane.

What exactly is going to happen? will any vehicles ever have any access to the main entrance again or is something else planned?

They're replacing the area Infront of the station with a new pedestrian plaza and stairs down to Bishopgate St. No vehicles other than the odd emergency car will have access to the space directly infront anymore.

 

[Iskra]

Will they ever stop messing about with Leeds station? It just feels like it’s been a constant state of construction chaos as long as I can remember.

 

[Grumpy]

What exactly is going to happen?

They are going to chuck away £46million for little benefit. Then start claiming they have no money for vital local services and that’s all the fault of the Tories, Brexit etc.

 

[thejuggler]

Trying to get anywhere near the main station entrances by car is simply no longer worth it, if possible.

The go to option for me now is to use Water Lane and drop off/pick up by the Double Tree hotel, but this is becoming busier.

 

[Ken H]

Trying to get anywhere near the main station entrances by car is simply no longer worth it, if possible.

The go to option for me now is to use Water Lane and drop off/pick up by the Double Tree hotel, but this is becoming busier.

Burley Road and jump on a 50/50A bus

 

[xotGD]

They're replacing the area Infront of the station with a new pedestrian plaza and stairs down to Bishopgate St. No vehicles other than the odd emergency car will have access to the space directly infront anymore.

Amusing to see people drive along, discover that they can't get through and have to turn back.

 

[YorksLad12]

Burley Road and jump on a 50/50A bus

An excellent idea, with just two problems. First, the 50 doesn't go near the station; secondly, the 50A doesn't go near the station. You could try the 19/19A though, or walk down to Kirkstall Road.

Amusing to see people drive along, discover that they can't get through and have to turn back.

Amusing, until they try and turn round while everyone's walking up behind them. New Station Street was closed off a few years back while they widened the footpath; cars - which shouldn't have been there anyway - still entered, then had a choice of reversing and turning back down a one-way street, or mixing it with the taxis, which were still allowed through.

NSS is being closed to traffic for "security reasons", as well as the general pedestrianisation of the area. I'll see if I can get a photo of the uncovered arches on Bishopgate Street in a week or two. I walked that way last week, it looks as if a cycle lane is going in in the area where taxis used to queue.

Incidentally; while the area outside the Princes Square entrance is for dropping off only, you can get picked up if the people on patrol are fed up, or it's raining... and it's not as if they can stop someone determined.

 

[quantinghome]

Will they ever stop messing about with Leeds station? It just feels like it’s been a constant state of construction chaos as long as I can remember.

It's one stage of a planned complete overhaul of the station, each stage of which is unfortunately separately funded, hence it's rather drawn-out.

They are going to chuck away £46million for little benefit. Then start claiming they have no money for vital local services and that’s all the fault of the Tories, Brexit etc.

Heaven forfend that we see any improvement to the station environs...

The poor access to Bishopgate from the station entrance has long been a barrier to station access, requiring passengers to be funnelled from each end of New Station Street along relatively narrow pavements.

And of course the funding comes from the WYCA TCF pot, much of which is from central government and ring fenced for transport projects, so can't be reallocated to other local priorities.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Trying to get anywhere near the main station entrances by car is simply no longer worth it, if possible.

The go to option for me now is to use Water Lane and drop off/pick up by the Double Tree hotel, but this is becoming busier.

Yes, I know just what you mean, having relatives in the area who can pick me up from the train.

I thought of your 'hack' too and got run over by a speeding cyclist.