Harrogate rail campaigners welcome train times boost as improvements to York are confirmed

Brian L Dunsby OBE told the Harrogate Advertiser the twice-hourly service, which was reinstated after a break during the pandemic, would appear in the planned new timetable from May 2023.

Mr Dunsby has long fought for a better deal for Harrogate railway passengers, not only on the York-Harrogate-Leeds line but the town’s direct connections to London, too.

It’s been a rocky road at times but the rail campaigner can be pleased at the progress achieved

Mr Dunsby said: “It is a half-hourly service each way from early morning until quite late at night, so we are quite satisfied with their overall proposals.

"There are minor adjustments to the arrival times of trains to York – just a minute or two difference between the old and new timetables.

"But there are no significant changes in these timetables for the Harrogate Line between Leeds and York via Harrogate since last time.”

The Harrogate Line Supporters Group figurehead said there were several abnormal timings where the usual and expected consistency in time of departure was lacking.

But this is a long-standing issue which the group is pursing with the management of rail operator Northern.

It was last November when Mr Dunsby learned that there would be a a full restitution of all the cuts made on the Harrogate Line in May 2022, including Leeds and York trains.