Cottingley railway station
Cottingley ![]() | |
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![]() The view from the foot bridge | |
Location | |
Place | Cottingley |
Local authority | City of Leeds |
Coordinates | 53°46′04″N 1°35′15″W / 53.7679°N 1.5876°WCoordinates: 53°46′04″N 1°35′15″W / 53.7679°N 1.5876°W |
Grid reference | SE272302 |
Operations | |
Station code | COT |
Managed by | Northern |
Number of platforms | 2 |
DfT category | F2 |
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries | |
Annual rail passenger usage* | |
2012/13 |
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2013/14 |
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2014/15 |
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2015/16 |
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2016/17 |
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Passenger Transport Executive | |
PTE | West Yorkshire Metro |
Zone | 2 |
History | |
Original company | British Rail |
25 April 1988 | Station opened |
National Rail – UK railway stations | |
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Cottingley from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year. | |
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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.
History
The station was opened by British Rail on 25 April 1988[1] with financial assistance from West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and is currently managed by Northern, who provide most 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. The platforms were extended (towards Leeds) and can now accommodate three car trains easily. Network Rail are to further extend the platforms in October 2018.
Facilities
The station is unmanned and has only basic shelters on each platform. Platform 1 is the ‘down’ platform for trains to Leeds and platform 2 is the ‘up’ platform for trains to Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Brighouse and Manchester.
There are ticket machines on both sides and these have recently been brought into use. Northern occasionally send mobile revenue staff to the station in peak periods to sell/check tickets. It is expected that Cottingley will become a penalty fare station in due course. Automatic announcements, timetable posters and dot matrix display screens provide train running information.
Step-free access is available to both platforms. However, they are linked by a stepped footbridge, so unfortunately there’s no quick way of crossing from one side to the other without using it.
Services
As of May 2018 Monday to Saturday there’s an hourly Northern service from Cottingley to Leeds and to Southport via Brighouse, Hebden Bridge, Manchester Victoria, Atherton and Wigan Wallgate. Most Trans Pennine Express trains go through the station without stopping save for a few morning and evening peak hour and late evening services.
Since the start of the new timetable some journeys have become very difficult despite being only a very short distance. Cottingley to Batley (and vice versa) is one such journey. There are only a handful of direct trains Monday - Saturday.
On Sundays Cottingley now enjoys an hourly service provided exclusively by Trans Pennine Express. This mostly operates as a Leeds - Manchester Piccadilly service via Huddersfield and calls at all stations between Leeds and Huddersfield. In the late evening there are a few through trains to/from Hull, Middlesbrough and Manchester Airport.
Gallery
- Platform 2
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cottingley railway station. |
- Train times and station information for Cottingley railway station from National Rail
Preceding station | ![]() |
Following station | ||
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Northern |