Last year Calderdale Council pledged to step up pressure on Government to electrify the Calder Valley rail line and is now calling on people to sign an online petition.

Council Leader Coun Tim Swift urged people to the sign the petition calling for electrification of the line which is online at www.calderdale.gov.uk/electricvalley

It is a major part of the council’s call for more investment in the service, following a year of much misery for rail commuters, particularly following the highly-criticised rollout of new timetables last May.

Commuters, businesses and visitors can also back the campaign through social media by demanding change using the hashtag #electricvalley on Twitter and Facebook.

The Calder Valley line is consistently one of the poorest performers across the West Yorkshire network, said Coun Swift.

But the line is crucial to both , but the line is crucial to both increasing employment opportunities for Calderdale people as a major commuter route and bringing in people to visit the borough, the council believes.

Coun Swift (Lab, Town) said: “Improving the service, its reliability, capacity and quality, is a priority because of the economic, social and environmental benefits which it would bring.

“Regular commuters have suffered delays and cancellations for months as a result of the timetable changes in May 2018.

“We need everyone to sign the petition to express their frustration and really demonstrate the weight of public opinion. It’s time for change.”

The Calder Valley line links Leeds and Manchester via Bradford Interchange, Halifax and Rochdale, plus several other towns in the upper Calder Valley.

It also provides a connection between York and Blackpool and Huddersfield via Brighouse.

The council and other rail campaigners say says full electrification of the line would improve journey times, make train services more reliable, cheaper to run and less costly for passengers, help cut congestion on the roads and lead to better air quality and fewer carbon dioxide emissions.

The council also wants faster and more frequent trains, better access for walkers, cyclists and buses – all also key parts of ongoing highway policy – and improved station car parking, especially in the growth area of Brighouse.

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Leader of Calderdale Council, Coun Tim Swift