New automatic ticket barriers have received a mixed reception from passengers arriving at Bradford Interchange rail station.

The London Underground-style ticket gates, installed by train operator Northern Rail at a cost of about £250,000, were switched on for the first time today.

Some passengers welcomed the new gates, saying they would cut down on fare-dodgers, while others described them as “confusing” and a waste of money.

During the bedding-in period, the gates will accept all tickets, but they will start to reject invalid tickets at a point in the near future.

Ewan Hamilton, who travels by train from Halifax to Bradford to go to college, said: “I’m used to ticket gates because I go to Leeds quite a bit and they have them there as well.

“Maybe people will find them a bit annoying if they are rushing.”

Malcolm Lusby, of Great Horton, Bradford, said: “Northern Rail does a really good job, operating some of the lines that make no money, but surely this is an unnecessary waste of £250,000 for a cash-strapped franchise.

“Wait until you get two trains arriving simultaneously at rush hour, with 200 passengers trying to get off the platform, then we’ll see how well it works.”

Stacey Riley, who had travelled into Bradford from Halifax to do her shopping, said: “It will be a lot better in the end because lots of people used to not pay.”

Peter Lodge, of Great Horton, Bradford, said: “The trains are still the same old trains they were using in 1985, so we are waiting for new stock.

“It would be better if all this investment, especially the money they have put into the ticket gates, could be put towards the cost of reopening Low Moor station.”

Northern Rail said it had seen a reduction in ticketless travel and anti-social behaviour at stations where gates had been introduced.