Transport Minister and local MP Andrew Jones has welcomed news that Harrogate is to see more services – including express services – to and from Leeds starting this week. Also the brand new Azuma bullet trains are shortly to start operating between Leeds and London while six direct services a day to and from Harrogate may start as early as December.
The current two services an hour on the Harrogate to Leeds line will be increased this week to three an hour with an express train stopping at Hornbeam Park and Horsforth reducing journey times to just 30 minutes. The three services an hour will run between 9.14am and 4.15pm with an hourly express service returning from Leeds in addition to current services.
The new Azuma bullet trains will be in service on the Leeds to Kings Cross line this month with six daily direct services to Harrogate which may be introduced as early as December.
Mr Jones hailed the increased services:
As a Minister in the Department for Transport I know how important reliable and good standard public transport is. As a Harrogate resident who often uses the train for my commute to and from Westminster I experience first-hand the issues which commuters and leisure passengers face locally.
That is why I know that we have had our problems on our local line. But it seems that we are about to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
We are getting more trains, faster trains and better trains locally and on the main line to Kings Cross. A new express service in addition to our regular services to and from Leeds is a real boon. The dreaded pacers are currently being phased out and, at the same time, we will see brand new Azuma bullet trains between Harrogate and London.
This isn’t just great news for local passengers it is great news for business and leisure tourism as well as our vital conference trade. We know that if somewhere is easy to get to then it will attract more visitors and we will see more tourist pounds through the tills of local shops and businesses. We have low unemployment and lower than average retail vacancy rates in Harrogate. This will ensure that remains the case.
LNER Harrogate-London Services
The new direct services between Harrogate and London Kings Cross are due to begin on 8 December.
The planned timings for the new services Monday-Friday are as follows:
From Harrogate to Kings Cross: 07.34, 09.34, 11.34, 14.34, 15.34, 17.34.
From Kings Cross to Harrogate: 07.33, 09.33, 11.33, 13.33, 15.33, 17.33.
Similarly on Saturday and Sunday – total 6 trains each way every day.
Northern Rail – Extra services between Harrogate and Leeds begin on Sunday 18 May 2019 with “express” services taking the service up from two to three trains per hour.
These express trains will serve Harrogate, Hornbeam Park, Horsforth and Leeds only. They will leave Leeds hourly from 09.14 until 16.15 with return services hourly from Harrogate to Leeds at 10.02 until 17.02.
The normal journey time is reduced from 35 minutes to 30 minutes but this will not affect the current twice an hour schedule
Plans to increase services to four trains per hour are on hold pending construction of Platform 0 at Leeds
Too bad Mr Jones won’t be needing any more trains to Westminster by December.
The Azuma trains are nice new trains, but they are not bullet trains. Bullet trains run at 200mph. Azuma trains will be running at 125mph or less.