A MULTI-Million pound scheme to improve Bradford Interchange is still going ahead - despite eventual plans to move the city centre station.

And the project will involve the demolition of the multi storey car park on Hall Ings.

In March 2020 Government announced that West Yorkshire would get devolved powers, as well as an elected mayor.

Included in the announcement was a huge package of funding to improve city centres of the five districts of West Yorkshire.

In Bradford, the Transforming Cities Fund would mean around £80m would be spent on numerous infrastructure projects.

One of these was a £13.2m scheme to improve access to Bradford Interchange.

This would include the demolition of the NCP car park on Hall Ings to create a new entrance to the station.

A separate scheme would see a stretch of Hall Ings in front of this new entrance pedestrianised.

Bradford Council purchased the huge car park in 2017 for £4.15m, saying the site was part of long term plans to improve the Interchange.

However, earlier this year Bradford Council announced that it had earmarked the St James' Market site off Wakefield Road as the preferred location for a Bradford stop on the proposed Northern Powerhouse Rail high speed line.

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If the stop gained Government approval, the existing facilities at the Interchange would be moved to this new station - predicted to open in 2030.

The Council said this would leave the Interchange as a "very valuable" development site in the city centre.

The Telegraph & Argus asked Bradford Council what this uncertain future for the Interchange Station - the main rail and bus hub in the District, meant for the £13.2m Interchange improvement scheme.

A Bradford Council spokesperson, said: “The Transforming Cities Fund programme still includes proposals for improvements to the entrance to Bradford Interchange. The scheme is currently being developed and a consultation on proposals for the Interchange will take place in July.

“Current proposals for the Interchange works reorientate the existing entrance at Bridge Street to better points on Hall Ings opposite Bradford City Hall.

“To do this, we will need to demolish the NCP car park on Hall Ings and we are talking to the park operator to explore an early release from their tenancy which will speed up the project.

“The construction of the new entrance to Bradford Interchange together with the maintenance works which West Yorkshire Combined Authority are doing to the bus station will bring the Interchange up to standard until Northern Powerhouse Railway Station proposals can be finalised and a decision on the future of site can be made.”

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Like the other Transforming Cities Fund projects in West Yorkshire, the Government set a deadline for the work to be completed by March 2023.

Although other TCF projects are likely to run behind schedule, a recent report by West Yorkshire Combined Authority reveals that the Interchange works are expected to meet this deadline.