Community celebrates new Cross Gates station artwork

Northern colleagues, members of Leeds City Council and local schoolchildren were among those who gathered on the platform to celebrate the new artwork. 

A new ‘Welcome to Cross Gates’ mural is now on display on platform one, created by artist Emmeline North, who also worked with students from nearby John Smeaton Academy to create eye-catching posters now displayed on the platform ramp.  

Other recent improvements to the station include repairing fencing on the platforms, refurbishing the booking office entrance and installing new CCTV. 

A new Incredible Edible planter has also been built on the York-bound platform, which will be looked after by students from Crossgates Primary School. 

The scheme encourages communities to get involved in growing fresh produce and passengers will be able to take home food grown in the planter as they pass through the station.  

Tony Baxter, regional director at Northern said: “I’d like to thank everyone who created this colourful artwork at our station.   

“Our community partners are the heartbeat of the railway and we’re extremely proud to work closely with them to deliver such a wide-ranging positive impact for the North of England.”   

“Projects such as this are part of a wider programme of improvements at many of our stations – including improved accessibility, car park refurbishments and improved CCTV – to encourage all our customers to ‘go do their thing’ and explore the north. 

Artist Emmeline North said: “I feel really proud to have been part of this and that we can be here celebrating this work. 

“A big part of this was having the chance to work with some of the young people at John Smeaton Academy.  

“They all showed such a broad set of approaches and skills, it was fantastic how they worked together, this was a truly collaborative effort.”  

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,000 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.