Place Cottingley Station code COT DfT category F2 Number of platforms 2 Original company British Rail | Grid reference SE272302 Managed by Northern 2011/12 97,296 Pte West Yorkshire Metro | |
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Address Leeds LS11 0JT, United Kingdom Similar Batley railway station, Deighton railway station, Burley Park railway station, Dewsbury railway station, Slaithwaite railway station | ||
Cottingley railway station serves the Cottingley area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It lies 3 miles (5 km) south west of Leeds on the Huddersfield Line. It is the nearest railway station to Leeds United F.C.'s Elland Road stadium.
Contents
History
The station was opened by British Rail on 25 April 1988 with financial assistance from West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and is managed by Northern, who provide all passenger services.
Patronage growth
Patronage at Cottingley station (off Cottingley Drive) has increased significantly in recent years, and this is reflected by the figures published by the Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR). Recorded usage in 2002/03 was 9,467 journeys per year (average of entries and exits).
By 2005/06, this had increased to 73,894 journeys per year, an increase of 781% (almost eightfold) in four years. Actual growth may be higher, since the ORR data does not accurately take account of the multi-modal 'MetroCard' season tickets issued by WYPTE which are valid for journeys to and from this station. From 2008/9, such MetroCard data are included, but only an estimation is made.
Recent growth can also be attributed in part by a significant new housing development adjacent to the railway station, called Churwell New Village.
That, combined with growth elsewhere on the line, means that overcrowding in the morning peak for commuters heading towards Leeds is now a serious problem. Efforts to address this have been hampered by the relatively short platforms at the station, which limit the length of trains that can call here.
Facilities
The station is unstaffed and has only basic shelters on each side. There are no ticket machines, but Northern do send mobile revenue staff to the station in peak periods to sell tickets; outside these times all tickets must be purchased in advance or on the train. Automatic announcements, timetable posters and display screens provide train running information. The platforms are linked by footbridge - this has steps, so only platform 2 (westbound) has step-free access (from the nearby street); platform 1 (eastbound) has a ramp to/from a footpath to a nearby residential estate but is not listed as being accessible on the National Rail site.
Services
Monday to Saturday generally there is an hourly service from Cottingley to Leeds and to Huddersfield.
On Sundays there is a two-hourly service to both Leeds and Huddersfield.
Rail services on the Huddersfield Line from Leeds to Manchester Victoria via Hebden Bridge are usually scheduled to run through Cottingley without stopping, though a limited number do call here at peak times. Since the December 2015 timetable change however, the corresponding service in the opposite direction now calls to provide the station's hourly link to Leeds during the daytime, with trains from Huddersfield only calling in the evening.