Faster engines with more carriages will improve capacity and cut journey times between Halifax and Manchester.

Network Rail has begun talking to West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority about the shake-up, which will alter the stopping patterns of existing services.

Bosses will start formal consultation with passenger groups to introduce the changes by the end of the year.

A major study of timetables on the Calderdale line has been carried out to try to improve services, acc-ording to transport executive director general Kieran Preston.

He said: "The objectives include reducing journey times between the main centres and facilitating the proposed new station at Low Moor, Bradford.

"There will be three through trains an hour between Leeds, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden and Manchester Victoria instead of two and Todmorden will gain an hourly service to and from Leeds via Brighouse."

From December, there could be an extra 24 trains a day stopping at Hebden Bridge – up from 98 to 122 per day; 25 more at Todmorden – up from 65 to 90 and two more at Sowerby Bridge – 70 per day compared with 68.

Most will be higher quality Sprinter units and during peak periods, they will have at least three carriages.

A trip from Halifax to Manchester which currently takes around an hour could be made in around 50 minutes.

But Walsden, Mytholmroyd and Sowerby Bridge will lose one train per hour to and from Halifax and Bradford.

The proposals have been complicated by the need to remodel the Mill Lane junction, in Bradford, which has been delayed until October, and upgrade the west coast main line.

"Metro has assessed the advantages and disadvantages for all the affected stations and examined passenger numbers and, on balance, the proposal represents a significant enhancement to the service pattern which will benefit the majority of passengers," said Mr Preston, in a report to the authority.

Geoff Mitchell, chairman of the Mytholmroyd Station Partnership, said that it was probably the biggest change on the Caldervale line for 30 years and it would inconvenience some passengers.

"We will be carrying out our own survey of rail users and holding a public meeting before we make a formal response to the plan," he said.
Calderdale Council's tran-sport spokesman Geoffrey Wainwright (Con, Skircoat) said the changes meant losing stops at some stations to reduce journey times and improve services for many more passengers.

"Changes like this will always produce winners and losers, but overall it appears beneficial to the valley as a whole," he said.

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