Passengers facing new automatic ticket machines at Harrogate rail station

That's the question some regular users are asking as new automatic ticket barriers are installed for the first time on the hi-tech concourse as part of a series of improvements by Northern Rail.One regular commuter, who didn't want to be named, was worried the barriers would mean big queues to get on the actual platform at times of day when people were in a hurry and the trains were already packed.

And will pedestrians still be able to use the station bridge as a short cut from East Parade to Station Parade as they have done for decades?The Harrogate Advertiser put some of these issues to Northern Rail which is currently continuing its investment in its network with the introduction of automatic gatelines at Harrogate.A spokesperson told us the automatic gatelines are designed to give customers a more secure and seamless experience when travelling through the station concourse. Nothern Rail also says they should also help reduce the number of customers travelling without a ticket and discourage anti-social behaviour.The ticket gates are part of a multi-million pound investment to transform and modernise Northern, with the aim of improving security and encouraging all its customers to hold a valid ticket before they board trains.Paul Barnfield, Regional Director at Northern, said: “Automatic gatelines are an integral part of our ongoing modernisation programme that will transform stations across the Northern network.“We have already introduced the gates at Bradford and Leeds and wanted to continue our investment across Yorkshire by adding Harrogate to that list.”Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS), a business unit of Cubic Corporation, supplied the technology for the new ticket gates and will provide further equipment allowing for gates to be installed at Skipton later in the spring.

The new machinery will should be fully installed by the end of this month.