“It is essential that the Government provides the funding”

NINA SMITH, chair of campaign group RailFuture Yorkshire, said: “We warmly welcome these draft proposals and look forward to their implementation as a national and regional priority.

“It is essential that the Government provides the funding necessary for these long awaited plans to be implemented. The North has lagged behind in public transport for far too long. These welcome proposals are long overdue, as Leeds is the largest city in Western Europe without a tram system. Whilst the proposals do not directly affect the Upper Calder Valley, local residents and businesses will gain from the increased connectivity into our train services via the tram and train interchanges proposed for Halifax, Bradford, and

Brighouse. These will give speedy connections to many places off the rail network including Calderdale Royal Hospital, North Halifax. and Bradford Forster Square.

“The proposals are out for consultation and to us a major weakness of the proposals is the failure to propose one new central train, tram and bus station in Bradford that would join up the Calder Valley,

Airedale and Wharfedale railway lines, as well as the proposed new Northern Powerhouse Rail line.

“There are urgent major public transport improvements needed by residents in the upper Calder Valley that are not included in the draft proposals, and need to happen once the pandemic is over. These are a half hourly direct bus service from Todmorden to Calderdale Royal Hospital, a direct train service from Todmorden to Huddersfield, to cater for the large number of commuters and students, and a reinstatement of a regular half hourly bus service between Todmorden and Burnley throughout the day.”

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