Will better transport get Bradford back on track?
Connor Drake, Policy and Practice Officer at the Centre for Progressive Policy, on the potential of transport to unlock inclusive growth in Bradford
Connor Drake
Policy and Practice Officer
Connor Drake
Policy and Practice Officer
Bradford is a city of opportunity. It has a young, dynamic population that speaks dozens of languages and has roots across the world. Bradford’s status as UK City of Culture in 2025 demonstrates its vibrancy and cultural resurgence. It is one of the biggest cities in the country with a population of over half a million people, yet much of its potential remains untapped.
During the Industrial Revolution, Bradford was an industrial giant, famously known as the "Wool Capital of the World." By the 1850s, two-thirds of the nation’s wool was produced there, and at its peak, one-third of the city’s workforce was employed in the wool industry. Bradford’s economic prowess was undeniable, with the city being lauded in 1920 as “the richest city in England … still on the crest of a wave of wonderful prosperity.”
However, the present-day reality for Bradford and its residents stands in stark contrast with its industrial heyday, with journalist Simon Jenkins describing the city he once knew as "unrecognisable" in 2018. Child poverty is high, at 37.9% in 2022-23, and there is above average unemployment at 8.5% in August 2024, compared to national averages of 30% and 4.3% respectively.
A tale of two stations
One of the most significant challenges to inclusive growth in Bradford is its poor transport connectivity. A 2021 study found Bradford to be Britain’s worst-connected major city.
A simple comparison highlights this disconnect: Bradford has only six trains per day to London from its two stations, while neighbouring Leeds boasts over forty trains daily to the capital. Better connections with London would open Bradford up to greater investment and job opportunities and build awareness of the city on a national scale. Travelling to and from Bradford often requires changing trains at larger stations in the North due to a lack of direct routes. Trains which pass through Bradford to locations like Halifax and York are often delayed by a few minutes as they must enter and reverse back out of both stations, as they are both railway termini – stations which trains can serve but not pass through due to their built environment. This results in longer journeys.
Connections to and from London are not the be-all and end-all though, and Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council and chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee has recognised that rail connections across the North (including between Leeds and Manchester) are just as important to Bradford and other cities in the North as connections with London.
In some cases, Bradford’s connectivity has gone backwards. Analysis from Transport for the North has also found that train journeys between Bradford and its near neighbours Leeds and Wakefield are slower than they were in the early 20th century when trains were powered by steam – by almost 20 minutes in the case of Wakefield.
Some possible solutions are already ‘in train’
A proposed solution to the ‘terminus problem’, supported by Bradford Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, involves constructing a new station on the outskirts of the city centre. This would enable faster, more frequent trains to connect Bradford – a city which has “all [the] ingredients for a thriving city” – with Manchester and Leeds, the two largest cities in the north. It also has the potential to unlock an estimated annual £2.9 billion increase in economic output. Although this proposal has received intermittent support from national government, its inclusion in the recent Network North plans suggests it may yet become a reality.
Beyond rail, other transport initiatives hold promise for Bradford. Proposals to franchise regional bus services (like schemes in Greater Manchester and London), and the introduction of a modern mass transit network offer opportunities for a more integrated, efficient, and environmentally friendly public transport system, providing a service which is “reliable, frequent, and accessible … for all”, greatly enhancing connectivity within the region.
It is also essential to improve connections within Bradford itself, in order to connect people with opportunities in the city centre. A proposed Park and Ride scheme linking the south of the city to the city centre could help residents travel more easily and sustainably. Data from similar schemes in nearby Leeds shows that over 5.6 million journeys were made in the first ten years of operation, saving an estimated 2.5 million car journeys into central Leeds. This success suggests that implementing similar initiatives in Bradford could yield substantial benefits.
Ultimately, greater investment is needed in northern England’s transport links to drive inclusive growth and address regional inequality. One of the main causes of poor public transport in Bradford, like much of the North of England, is persistent underinvestment. Analysis from IPPR has found that, between 2009/10 and 2019/20, transport spending per person in London was double that in the North (£864 vs £349).
The value of transport to inclusive growth in Bradford
Strong transport links are essential for Bradford to have a successful and inclusive economy. Accessible, reliable, and affordable transport will enable residents to access more skills and job opportunities, and stronger connectivity will encourage more investment in the city from both the public and private sector. This will ensure that Bradford is a place that people want to live, work and spend money in.
Bradford Council is a partner council of West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Strategic transport opportunities are central to the Combined Authority’s approach to inclusive growth and improving connectivity across the region.
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