Free Wi-Fi for Kirkgate Railway Station after plans are given the go-ahead

Northern Railways Ltd applied to Wakefield Council and was given the green light, along with the installation of public information screens and replacing the ticket vending machine with four modern versions.

A spokesman for the company said: “Northern have made a commitment to invest £38m to improve facilities at stations, with a focus on customer information, security and customer service.

“This includes the introduction of ticket machines at all stations with more than 10 customers a day and network-wide free Wi-Fi.”

To help alleviate queuing, two of the new ticket vending machines will be placed in the entrance lobby with a further two to the rear of platform one. It is also envisaged that Wi-Fi signal will be available throughout the station.

The investment comes just two years after Kirkgate was given a £5.6m makeover after being tagged as Britain’s worst railway station by the then transport minister, Lord Andrew Adonis.

The Grade II-listed station was the city’s first, built in 1854, but it had fallen into a serious state of disrepair.

The campaign for restoration had been led by regeneration charity, Groundwork.