Scenes outside the station have been described as ‘chaos’
Leeds Train Station(Image: Huddersfield Examiner)
Commuters have been advised not to travel to Leeds Train Station after it was suddenly closed due to a fault. National Rail says all lines are blocked at the station due to a signalling system failure.
According to travellers, scenes outside the station are “chaos”. An update posted on National Rail’s X – formerly Twitter – account said disruption had been expected until 5pm, but in an update shortly before 6pm, it said: “Leeds station is currently closed.”
BBC Look North presenter Peter Levy posted on the social media site: “Chaos at Leeds station, all trains not running. In huge queue waiting for replacement buses to Hull!”
A statement from National Rail said: “A fault with the signalling system in the Leeds area means all lines are closed. No trains are able to run to / from / through Leeds and will be cancelled, delayed by up to 120 minutes, revised or diverted.
Leeds station is currently closed. Major disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Services affected by the disruption includes:
CrossCountry between Penzance, Plymouth, Bristol Temple Meads and Edinburgh; between Reading and Newcastle; and between Plymouth and Leeds, Glasgow Central.LNER between London Kings Cross and Bradford Forster Square, Skipton, Leeds, Harrogate.Northern between Blackpool North, Blackburn, Leeds and York; between Lancaster, Morecambe, Chester, Wigan Wallgate, Manchester Victoria, Bradford Interchange, Bradford Forster Square, Lincoln, Skipton, Ilkley, Castleford, Knottingley, Halifax, Hull, Goole, Doncaster, Sheffield and Leeds; between Leeds and Harrogate, Knaresborough, York, Ribblehead, Carlisle; and between Halifax, Bradford Interchange and Hull.TransPennine Express between Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle, Edinburgh; between Hull, Scarborough and Leeds; and between Manchester Victoria and Leeds, York, Scarborough, Saltburn, Redcar Central.
Northern has told affected customers not to travel and ticket restrictions have been lifted for other services.
LNER said rail replacement buses are in operation between Leeds and Doncaster, and is being arranged to run between Bradford Forster Square, Harrogate, York and Leeds. However there are a number of cancellations across LNER’s route and they are advising customers for Bradford Forster Square, Harrogate, Wakefield Westgate and Leeds not to travel.
TransPennine has told customers whose journey starts or ends at Leeds, or passes through, not to travel, unless it is necessary.