Work on a £3.3m project funded by Metro is underway. Northern and Network Rail to improve customer information services at 43 West Yorkshire rail stations.

Starting at Ilkley, stations will initially be converted at the rate of one per week.

"While each station is being upgraded, there will be no passenger announcements or customer information screens," said Metro Chairman Cllr Chris Greaves. "But once the conversion has taken place, passengers will benefit from up-to-the-minute train running information with digital links between audible and visual system, together with new amplifiers to improve the quality of audible information.

"Metro's yournextbus service has shown us that passengers value the convenience of accurate, timely information, and this project brings the same benefits to rail users."

Hi-tech screens and public address systems

Older information screens at stations will be replaced with new hi-tech screens to provide much more reliable and visible train information. The project will also fund additional screens at a number of stations including Bradford Interchange, Bradford Forster Square, Skipton and Ilkley.

The new information screens are due to be completed by March 2009 and the PA installations completed by June 2009.

Steve Butcher, Area Director, Northern Rail said: "One of our top priorities is to improve how we communicate with our customers. These new and improved systems will make a big difference to many thousands of customers every day."

Warrick Dent, Area General Manager for Network Rail, added: "Good communications are essential to allow passengers to complete their journeys with the minimum fuss. As landlord for the stations we are very pleased to see this scheme coming to fruition."

Stations set to benefit from improvements to Customer Information Screens and Public Address systems:

• Baildon
• Ben Rhydding
• Bingley
• Bradford Forster Square
• Bradford Interchange
• Brighouse
• Burley in Wharfedale
• Crossflats
• Frizinghall
• Garforth
• Glasshoughton
• Guiseley
• Halifax
• Ilkley
• Keighley
• Menston
• Saltaire
• Shipley
• Steeton & Silsden

Stations to receive new Public Address equipment:

• Bramley
• Castleford
• Crossgates
• East Garforth
• Featherstone
• Fitzwilliam
• Hebden Bridge
• Knottingley
• Micklefield
• Moorthorpe
• Mytholmroyd
• New Pudsey
• Normanton
• Outwood
• Pontefract Monkhill
• Pontefract Tanshelf
• Sandal & Agbrigg
• South Elmsall
• Sowerby Bridge
• Streethouse
• Todmorden
• Wakefield Kirkgate
• Walsden
• Woodlesford

Dated: 5 January 2009