the town is within the travel-to-work radius of leeds and bradford. leeds is away and bradford by road, with a railway connection offering about 35 trains to each destination per day from ilkley railway station. the railway, before the beeching axe, also connected to addingham, bolton abbey and skipton to the west, and to otley, pool-in-wharfedale, meeting the main leeds to harrogate line at arthington.