£100m investment to start on the Calderdale rail line

Work begins in mid-March to renew and upgrade vital aspects of the track on the line which runs between Leeds and Manchester via Bradford Interchange and through Calderdale.

The project will see essential elements of the track and the track bed replaced. This is to improve the reliability of the railway and cope with an increasing demand for services both now and in the years to come.

“The investment in the Calder Valley line is vital to keep the railway performing reliably as demand for rail services continues to grow,” said Neil Henry, Area Director for Network Rail.

This is part of the Railway Upgrade Plan in West Yorkshire, which is is designed to provide more capacity, relieve crowding and respond to the growth Britain’s railways continue to experience.

“The work on the Calder Valley Line is a vital part of Network Rail’s project which will pave the way for our own modernisation programme,” Paul Barnfield, Regional Director at Northern added. “Once complete, this work will complement other improvements taking place across the region, including the refurbishment of all Northern trains and the introduction of 281 new, purpose-built carriages, and will help us provide a rail service fit for the 21st Century.”