RAIL capacity in and around the Bradford District will only improve once a new platform in Leeds Rail Station is completed - and this is unlikely to happen for another two years.

A new report into local rail services points out that a number of new services planned to begin in Bradford in December have not materialised.

One of the main reasons for this is a lack of capacity in the rail network - an issue described as an "important concern."

West Yorkshire Combined Authority's Transport Committee will discuss the issue at a meeting on Friday, and hear that the under-construction Platform 0 at Leeds Rail Station may hold the key to improved services in Bradford.

But expanded platforms may also be needed at Bradford Forster Square Station, particularly Platform 3, and the rail stations at Keighley, Shipley and Keighley for planned, longer trains to make any difference to local journeys.

The Platform 0 project to improve capacity at Leeds Station began in 2018, and is expected to be completed in December 2021.

£17.3m Forster Square Station redevelopment takes a step forward

A report going to the transport committee highlights how many services that were initially proposed to come into operation in the Bradford area in December 2019 timetable have fallen by the wayside.

These expanded services may not be possible until Platform 0 is completed.

On the Calder Valley line, December was due to bring five trains per hour between Bradford Interchange and Leeds.

However, with the timetable changes now introduced, there are only four services per hour - with network constraints around Leeds blamed for the shortfall. The report says it "may be possible to revisit this once the Platform 0 project is complete from December 2021."

There were due to be three trains per hour between Bradford Interchange and Manchester Victoria, but there are only two - with capacity issues around Manchester blamed.

The Airedale and Wharfedale Line was meant to see six-car trains during peak hours - but capacity issues mean rush hour passengers are stuck with four car trains.

Existing four-car trains on the route were due to have two cars configured for "higher commuting capacity," but the report says: "Investigation revealed the trains were structurally incapable of accommodating this change."

And December was due to see extra LNER services to help with peak capacity Leeds – Shipley – Bradford Forster Square trains. But these extra services have yet to emerge, with inadequate infrastructure in Leeds again blamed.

The report says: "The ability of the rail network to continue accommodating growth remains an important concern. The December 2019 timetable change was meant to mark the final significant implementation of franchise commitments by Northern and TransPennine Express to run more frequent and longer trains across West Yorkshire and beyond.

"In the event, it has not been possible to realise all the commitments for extra passenger capacity, mainly as a result of insufficient network capacity for either longer or more frequent trains.

"The City Region faces the challenge that on many routes it is currently not possible to run either more frequent or longer trains in response to the need for increased capacity. Lack of capacity is primarily a concern for peak periods."

It says: "Platform lengths and configuration at Leeds station are preventing the operation of longer trains.

"The layout of the network on approaches from both the west and east makes running more frequent trains difficult. This is now an urgent issue."

The report adds: "Six-car trains are due to be introduced on Leeds to Shipley, Keighley, Skipton / Ilkley services from December 2021 whose full benefit will not be realised without platform extensions at the stations where trains are busiest."

"The full commitment of six through-services per day each way cannot be delivered with the current timetable structure and is constrained by network capacity until the current Platform 0 project at Leeds is complete. That project and a restructured timetable will come into operation from December 2021.

"The need to extend Platform 3 at Bradford Foster Square to accommodate these planned services whilst maintaining the reliability of Northern’s local services is also becoming apparent, and the industry is working through these issues."

James Vasey from the Bradford Rail Users Group said: "Services in Bradford are always going to be impacted by the facilities in Leeds.

"That is the starting point or destination for a lot of Bradford rail users.

"The Platform 0 scheme will be a great project and it will really increase capacity in Leeds.

"The main issue is the scheme should have been done five or 10 years ago.

"Northern Rail is trying to run this service but Network Rail runs Leeds Station. It is not necessarily Northern's fault.

"You can't always provide A until you have B and C sorted."