Editing Wakefield (section)

==Transport==
[[File:Railway Viaduct - geograph.org.uk - 362217.jpg|thumb|right|The brick-built 95-arch viaduct in Wakefield]]
[[File:23 Wakefield Kirkgate Railway Station (flash) -wikipedia-.jpg|thumb|right|Wakefield Kirkgate railway station]]
Wakefield has good access to the motorway system, with the intersection of the [[M1 motorway|M1]] and [[M62 motorway|M62]] motorways, junctions 42/29, lying to the north west, whilst the M1 to the west is accessed at junctions 39, 40 and 41. The [[A1(M) motorway (Great Britain)|A1(M)]] is to the east of the district. Wakefield is crossed by the [[A61 road|A61]], [[A638 road|A638]], and [[A642 road|A642]] roads and is the starting point of the [[A636 road|A636]] and [[A650 road|A650]] roads.

The council is working with [[West Yorkshire Metro]], the other four West Yorkshire district councils and transport operators to provide an integrated transport system for the district through the implementation of the West Yorkshire [[Local Transport Plan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wyltp.com/NR/rdonlyres/2CFE302B-5688-4FA8-B952-690CA755EA96/0/060403WYLTPINTRO_pg415.pdf |title=West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan 2006/07 to 2010/11 |publisher=West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan Partnership |access-date=22 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717110441/http://www.wyltp.com/NR/rdonlyres/2CFE302B-5688-4FA8-B952-690CA755EA96/0/060403WYLTPINTRO_pg415.pdf |archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>
A network of local buses, coordinated by West Yorkshire Metro and departing from [[Wakefield bus station]] in the town centre, serves Wakefield and district. Buses are operated by [[Arriva Yorkshire]], Watersons Coaches, Poppletons, [[Team Pennine]], [[Stagecoach Yorkshire]] and [[National Express Coaches|National Express]].<ref name="WBS">{{cite web |title=Wakefield Bus Station |url=http://www.wymetro.com/BusTravel/BusStationsAndStops/WakefieldBusStationStatistics.htm |publisher=wymetro.com |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111120004/http://www.wymetro.com/BusTravel/BusStationsAndStops/WakefieldBusStationStatistics.htm |archive-date=11 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Wakefield Westgate railway station|Wakefield Westgate station]] opened in 1867 on the [[Doncaster railway station|Doncaster]] to Leeds line. It has connections to the
[[East Coast Main Line]], trains to Leeds, Doncaster, and stations towards [[London King's Cross railway station|London King's Cross]]. [[CrossCountry]] trains go to [[Newcastle railway station|Newcastle]], [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh]], [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham]] and the [[South West England|South West]]. [[East Midlands Railway]] also run a limited service via Sheffield, [[Derby railway station|Derby]] and [[Leicester railway station|Leicester]] to [[St Pancras railway station|London St Pancras]]. Wakefield Westgate is on the [[Wakefield Line]] of the [[West Yorkshire Metro]] network.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/wkf/details.html |title=Wakefield Westgate |publisher=nationalrail.co.uk |access-date=7 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105214139/http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/wkf/details.html |archive-date=5 January 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> The line was [[Rail electrification|electrified]] in 1989. Wakefield is served by inter-city express trains from both its railway stations. London can be reached in less than two hours.

[[Wakefield Kirkgate railway station]] was opened by the [[Manchester and Leeds Railway]] in 1840. Wakefield Kirkgate is unstaffed and operated by [[Northern (train operating company)|Northern]] who operate trains to [[Barnsley Interchange|Barnsley]], [[Meadowhall Interchange]], [[Sheffield railway station|Sheffield]], [[Normanton railway station|Normanton]], [[Pontefract Monkhill railway station|Pontefract]], [[Knottingley railway station|Knottingley]], [[Leeds railway station|Leeds]], [[Castleford railway station|Castleford]] and [[Nottingham railway station|Nottingham]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/wkk/details.html |title=Wakefield Kirkgate |publisher=nationalrail.co.uk |access-date=7 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101016033503/http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/wkk/details.html |archive-date=16 October 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> The station serves the [[Hallam Line]], [[Huddersfield Line]] and the [[Pontefract Line]] of the MetroTrain network. [[Grand Central (train operating company)|Grand Central]] operating between [[London King's Cross railway station|London King's Cross]] and [[Bradford Interchange]] stop at Kirkgate. In 2009 [[CCTV]] was installed at the station, but it had acquired a reputation for being one of the country's worst stations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Wakefield-Kirkgate-CCTV-for-39worst.5807380.jp |title=Wakefield Kirkgate: CCTV for 'worst rail station in the country' – Central Leeds – Yorkshire Evening Post<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=6 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100826040507/http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Wakefield-Kirkgate-CCTV-for-39worst.5807380.jp |archive-date=26 August 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> It has, however, undergone extensive renovation (2014–).

The nearest airport is [[Leeds Bradford Airport]], {{convert|19|mi|km}} to the north of the city at [[Yeadon, West Yorkshire|Yeadon]].

The [[Aire and Calder Navigation]] is {{convert|33|mi|km}} from Leeds to [[Goole]], and {{convert|7+1/2|mi|km|0}} from Wakefield to Castleford, and was created by Act of Parliament in 1699. It was opened to Leeds in 1704 and to Wakefield in 1706, enabling craft carrying 100 tons to reach Wakefield from the Humber.<ref name="Old Wakefield"/> It is still used by a small amount of commercial traffic and leisure craft.<ref name="ACN">{{cite web |title=Aire and Calder Navigation |url=http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/aire/index.htm |publisher=penninewaterways |access-date=19 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090829071255/http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/aire/index.htm |archive-date=29 August 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The Calder and Hebble Navigation was created by Act of Parliament in 1758 with the intention of making the Calder navigable to [[Sowerby Bridge]]. The route was originally surveyed by [[John Smeaton]], remains open and is used by leisure craft.<ref name="CHN">{{cite web |title=Calder & Hebble |url=http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/calder/index.htm |publisher=penninewaterways |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514065921/http://penninewaterways.co.uk/calder/index.htm |archive-date=14 May 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Barnsley Canal, a broad canal with 20 locks, opened in 1799 connecting Barnsley to the Aire and Calder Navigation at Wakefield and was abandoned in 1953.<ref name="BC">{{cite web |title=Barnsley Canal |url=http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/barnsley/index.htm |publisher=penninewaterways |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620003649/http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/barnsley/index.htm |archive-date=20 June 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>