Network Rail says the Caldervale Line, which links Bradford with Manchester and the North-West, could be electrified in the future.

The Government has started its £600 million Northern Hub rail project, which is set to improve the rail network in and around the North of England but that does not include electrification of the Caldervale Line.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “The plans are not part of the current electrification programme – but that isn’t to say the line won’t be electrified in the future.”

The Northern Hub project is due for completion in 2019. The scheme has been welcomed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Jeremy Blackburn, head of policy and parliamentary affairs at RICS, said: “Infrastructure investment in the North of England is well overdue, especially on the region’s railway network.

"Successive governments have talked about the urgent need to rebalance the UK’s economy away from London and the South-East, so the announcement of £20m in initial funding is a welcome start.

“With up to 20,000 to 30,000 new jobs to be created between now and 2019, and research showing that every £1 spent on infrastructure adds almost £3 to the local economy, it’s important to highlight the how important construction is to the UK’s economic recovery.

“RICS members have a long tradition with the railways – the profession’s origins date back to the huge boom in railway building in Victorian times. Ever since, chartered surveyors have played a vital role in controlling costs and project management.

"RICS members must be at the very heart of this effort, helping the government to achieve its cost saving strategy and to keep the project on the right track.”