THE NUMBER of trains stopping at Low Moor station is set to nearly double when the new railway timetables come into force on Sunday, December 15.

There will be two Northern services on weekdays every hour instead of one meaning the number of stops per day will rise from 47 to 79.

The figures are being boosted by inclusion on the direct service to Chester from Leeds via Manchester Victoria for the first time.

In the other direction there will also be two services an hour to Bradford Interchange and one to Leeds.

The increase in Low Moor services was welcomed by Jonathan Nellis, a member of the Friends of Low Moor station.

He said: “It is a big step forward, something we have been asking for since the station opened in 2017.”

He said the new stopping services should lead to an rise in station users as previously travellers to Manchester had to go via Halifax and change there.

“It’s a big improvement if you’re going to Manchester,” he added.

He said anything that involves a change puts users off but direct services will have a big impact, especially “when you get a decent number of trains”.

“For Low Moor it is a big thing. A big massive improvement.”

Mr Nellis said the extra stop every hour could give the station a boost similar to extra services on the Airedale line caused by the opening of Apperley Bridge station.

In 2017/18, its first year, a total of 133,060 travellers used the station according to statistics produced by the Office of Rail Regulation.

The new services are included in the updated timetables 37 and 45 but unfortunately the map on the cover of the 37 Leeds to Chester leaflet does not include Low Moor, a similar situation to the old and new 36 timetables of Leeds to Manchester Victoria services.

Mr Nellis added: “It is quite confusing. They’ve just missed it off.”

Elsewhere in the Bradford district there are only minimal changes to the new timetables.

Grand Central is still running four services a day from Bradford Interchange via Low Moor to London King’s Cross but with slightly different times for the 6.53am and 14.51 trains.

Back in August the T&A reported that direct services from Bradford to Nottingham, via Sheffield, new direct links between Bradford and Liverpool, and between the city and Manchester Airport, which were due to be introduced in December as part of Northern Rail’s Train Service Requirement were no longer to be introduced.

The services, as well as a new Bradford to Manchester train and an extra hourly Sunday service on the Calder Valley line, would not be going ahead as soon as planned.

Reasons for the delays included insufficient capacity, a shortage of trains and a lack of staff working on Sundays.