automated ticket barriers to reduce fare evasion. Better pedestrian access to the multi-storey car park and taxi ranks were provided. Few elements of the modernisation programme interfered with the operational railway except for the installation of additional canopies and the replacement footbridge. The old footbridge and some 1960's station buildings were removed. Wakefield Westgate was the first newly built station on the East Coast Main Line in decades. The programme was an element of the third phase of Merchant Gate redevelopment scheme and promoted by its backers as being a key part of the area's renewal. Network Rail was appointed by East Coast as the principal contractor for the programme and the Buckingham Group was the design-and-build subcontractor. In January 2013, after planning permission was granted onsite preparations began and in March rebuilding commenced at a cost of £8.8 million, a large portion was provided via the Station Commercial Project Facility (SCPF), and 1 million each from the Access for All programme and the English Cities Fund. On 23 December 2013, the station opened to service and on 3 February 2014, it was officially opened by Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin and blessed by the Bishop of Wakefield, Stephen Platten. Services In total, there are 6 tph to Leeds with additional peak services. All northbound services call at Leeds. The station is managed by London North Eastern Railway, whose services run south from platform 1 to Doncaster and stations to London King's Cross and north from platform 2 to Leeds. A half-hourly weekday service from Wakefield to London takes approximately just over 2 hours for the journey. CrossCountry operate services north to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen and south to Plymouth and Penzance. These call every hour with some additional peak services. Northern Trains operate stopping services between Leeds and Doncaster, calling every hour on weekdays and Saturdays. An hourly stopping service also operates from Sheffield to Leeds via Rotherham. Introduced at the May 2018 Timetable change, there is now another hourly service to Leeds. This train originates at Knottingley and runs via Pontefract Monkhill and Wakefield Kirkgate. This gives a 3tph Northern Trains service to Leeds (of which, 2tph call at Outwood). East Midlands Railway (EMR) and its predecessors operated a few services between London St Pancras and Leeds via the Midland Main Line that called at Wakefield Westgate until May 2022. Two evening northbound and two morning