Mary Welcomes Progress at Wakefield Kirkgate

Wakefield MP Mary Creagh has welcomed moves by Metro and Network Rail to make significant progress in improving Kirkgate station. 

Network Rail bosses have written to Transport Secretary Lord Adonis this week.  The letter reveals that work on a live CCTV system for Kirkgate, originally planned for next year, will instead start now and they hope to have live CCTV up and running by the end of the year. View the letter here =>

In a separate development, Metro have announced that work starts this week to resurface the Kirkgate car park.  The project will take around 3 weeks, after which a free shuttle bus service will call at Kirkgate station every 10 minutes throughout the day.   

The moves come after Wakefield MP Mary Creagh invited Transport Secretary Lord Adonis to visit Kirkgate station.  The Transport Secretary said that the station was “the worst medium-large station” he had seen in the country.  He urged the Kirkgate steering group, which includes Metro, Network Rail, Northern Rail, and Wakefield Council to spend the £300 000 given by Government for improvements to Kirkgate as soon as possible.  

Mary Creagh, MP for Wakefield said: “I am pleased that rail bosses have finally caved in and seen the urgent need for live CCTV at Kirkgate.  Wakefield people deserve nothing less than a station that is safe.  It is also a relief to see work start on resurfacing the car park so that the free shuttle bus service can start again at last.”  

“This is just the start.  I will continue to press Network Rail, Northern Rail, and Metro to ensure that they keep their foot on the pedal.  They must keep the commitments they’ve made to the Secretary of State and to the people of Wakefield.”