Some demolition work took place in 1972, removing buildings on the island platform and the roof with its original ironwork canopy which covered the whole station.

[2] Since Westgate developed as Wakefield's main railway station, Kirkgate was neglected for many years and deteriorated until it was in a poor state of repair.

In July 2011, Wakefield Council was asked to decide upon a £500,000 grant to the environmental regeneration charity Groundwork UK as part of its £4 million Kirkgate project in which new life would be breathed into the area.

[17] Historically, figures for annual passenger usage at Kirkgate were comparatively low, with only 769 tickets sold to/from the station in the 2006/07 financial year.

Platform 2 – Served by southbound Northern services towards Barnsley, Meadowhall Interchange, Sheffield, Lincoln and Nottingham.

The newly introduced TransPennine Express service to Manchester Piccadilly via Huddersfield also calls at this platform four times each day.

These services are hauled by diesel locomotives through West Yorkshire and changed to steam haulage part way along the routes, usually at Hellifield.