DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott visited Leeds Railway Station yesterday.

The station has been a hive of activity since December 16 and throughout Christmas as 350 railway workers battle to complete the station's major overhaul.

It is planned the £165 million regeneration will be finished before commuters head back on January 2.

Robin Gisby, railtrack director London North Eastern, showed the deputy prime minister newly completed track works at the east end of Leeds.

Mr Prescott was also shown new platforms on the north of the station - due to open on Saturday (Dec 30) after five months of work.

Once the two new platforms are open, all will be renumbered from one to 16. And platform guides to help passengers have been issued.

The last phase of the intensive 17 day programme of Christmas engineering work began yesterday.

Tomorrow (Friday) trains on the Harrogate line between Leeds and Horsforth will be replaced by buses - to allow Railtrack to test the new signalling equipment at Leeds.

Buses will also replace trains between Leeds and Shipley but passengers will be able to make connections at Shipley for stations to Skipton and Ilkley.

Trains to and from Bradford to Skipton and Ilkley will run as normal. A direct bus service will run between Leeds and Skipton.

l The new Metro train times booklet from January 2 is available now from railway stations.