Network Rail buys disused railway in Leeds

The rail line linked Bradford and Wakefield but closed in 1985

A disused stretch of railway which once linked Bradford and Wakefield has been bought at auction by Network Rail.

The Wortley Curve in Leeds was closed in 1985 but in the intervening years there have been calls for its reinstatement.

The three-acre strip of land sold for £47,000 - more than three times the guide price.

A spokesperson for Network Rail said they were discussing plans for its future use.

"We can confirm that Network Rail has purchased the land at the former Wortley Curve," they said.

"Plans for the future usage of the site continue to be discussed internally and with stakeholders."

The line, near the Wortley Recreation Ground, allowed trains to travel from Bradford to Wakefield and beyond without passing through Leeds city centre.

It had most recently belonged to Railway Paths Ltd, a charity that owns and manages former railway land.

Pugh Auctioneers had listed the land in an online auction on Tuesday, with a £15,000 guide price.

It had said the stretch was “suitable for a variety of different uses”, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

There had been calls for either WYCA, which oversees transport and other matters across West Yorkshire, or Bradford Council to purchase the site.

At a Bradford Council meeting last month, councillor Bob Felstead (Con, Bingley Rural) had asked about the auction.

He said the council had an "oft-stated desire to improve the rail connectivity of the Bradford district".

He asked why neither Bradford Council nor WYCA had used Compulsory Purchase powers to buy the disused line to "protect the option to once again allow trains to travel from Bradford to Wakefield and beyond without having to pass through Leeds Station".

In a written response, the council's decision-making executive had said WYCA was "in discussions with Network Rail to explore the opportunity".

It added: "For several reasons, among which that the council is not at present promoting a project to restore the Curve, it would be inappropriate to use Compulsory Purchase powers."

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