Landslip-hit railway set to reopen in June

The line has been closed since February when cracks appeared in an embankment close to the railway at Baildon

A railway line near Bradford which was forced to close due to a landslip is expected to remain shut until June, Network Rail said.

The line has been closed since 9 February when cracks appeared in an embankment close to the railway at Baildon.

Services were initially due to return from mid-March but work had to be paused due to the complex nature of the site.

Two homes next to the railway line will have to be demolished after being affected by the same movement of land and deemed at risk of collapse.

Speaking last month, Network Rail said wet weather in recent weeks had made the situation worse and the homes were now structurally unsafe.

'Work well under way'

Engineers have been working to remove more than 1,800 tonnes of soil at the site to stabilise the land.

The company said due to the volume of work required on the site, the line, which runs between Bradford Forster Square and Ilkley, was expected to reopen at the end of June.

Its closure has affected passengers using stations including Shipley, Guiseley and Burley-in-Wharfedale.

Jason Hamilton, route director for Network Rail’s North and East route, said: “I want to thank passengers and the community for their ongoing patience and can assure them that work is now well under way towards getting the line reopened as quickly and safely as possible.”