Northern ready to welcome millions to Bradford for UK City of Culture celebrations after making station improvements

The train operator, which is supporting the year-long event as an official partner, has been working to make improvements at Bradford Interchange and Bradford Forster Square, to prepare for the influx of passengers who will be travelling to enjoy an array of performances, events and artwork exhibitions.

Staff have spent months preparing for their arrival and they are now ready to help everyone get where they need to go and showcase Bradford.

“Most of the team are from Bradford so they know the area well and they’re keen to get this right,” said Trevor Armitage, who manages the two stations.

“Most made themselves available to work over the weekend during the City of Culture launch event, as they're ready to welcome people to the city and show them what Bradford has to offer.

“I’ve also been impressed by the huge amount of effort that has gone into improving the two stations in Bradford. It has made a remarkable difference for customers.”

The entrance to Bradford Interchange, which opened in the 1971, has been upgraded by West Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of a multi-million-pound project to create a new gateway to the city.

The taxi rank was replaced by a seating area encased in colourful panelling and the ramp leading up to the station has been repaved.

Northern and ISS have given the inside of the station, which is normally used by more than 2.7 million people a year, a deep clean and new lick of paint.

The team have installed artwork and posters promoting the City of Culture celebrations in the upper concourse, refreshed the floral displays on the platforms and repainted the waiting rooms.

They are also working to create a new garden by platform 4 and planning to repaint the old red buffer stops on the track.

Over at Bradford Forster Square, the railway arches leading down to the main entrance of the station, which were previously used by rough sleepers, are being decorated with panels, artwork and new lighting as part of a project involving Bradford Council and Network Rail.

Inside the station, Mr Armitage’s team have been busy cleaning and repainting. He is also exploring plans to erect some lighting in the large stone arches which run alongside the station and install some new community artwork.  

The station staff, who work on the gateline and in the ticket office at Bradford Forster Square, are ready to help visitors who will be travelling to Bradford across the North of England and those who will be arriving on LNER services from London.

It comes as a new platform is being built at the station, which is used by more than 1.9 million people a year, as part of a £24 million pound government-funded project. It will allow up to five extra London services a day to run.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.