Councillors to ramp up the pressure to get the Calder Valley railway line electrified

They were unanimous in supporting a campaign with all other local and regional stakeholders to make the case for electrification, inviting businesses and public sector partners including health organisations to sign up.

Calderdale councillors have also instructed Chief Executive Robin Tuddenham to write to Calderdale’s two MPs, Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour, Calder Valley) and Kate Dearden (Lab, Halifax), asking them to sign up to the campaign and lobby on its behalf.

Leader of the Council, Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot), is also to write to the new Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, inviting her to visit and hear the “strong” business case for electrification of the line.

But they disagreed about whether Calderdale should more central to West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Mass Transit plans, which would see a tram service linking, initially, Bradford and Leeds, suggested by a Conservative amendment.

Tabling Labour’s successful motion, Coun Katie Kimber said rail electrification of the line, used by 11 million passengers a year and promised for years, would bring benefit to those using it for business, work, school and leisure, also a key tourism link and vital to help tackle climate challenges by replacing dirty diesel with clean electric powered trains.

“For too long Calderdale has been left waiting on the platform while other regions see investment in modern, efficient rail transport.

“It is not just used from getting from A to B but for connecting communities, driving our local economy and securing a greener future.

“I believe rail electrification is not just desirable, it is essential.

“It means faster, more reliable journeys, boosting local spend and attracting investment, more capacity and improved services, helping commuters students and businesses,” she said.

Coun Kimber (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said with a Labour council and a Labour government and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) pushing for electrification, “the time to act is now.”

Supporting her, Coun David Veitch (Lab, Elland) said electric trains were much more efficient, and with the Calder Valley line important for heavy freight, full electrification was needed.

Leader of the Conservative group, Coun Steven Leigh (Ryburn) said his party were in full support but wanted to go a bit further, including also lobbying Chancellor Rachel Reeves and asking Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin to update the Mass Transit plan to include Calderdale.

The Calder Valley rail line was strategically important for the whole region and with electrification green lit for the Transpennine Huddersfield line, would allow service switches to be made easily in event of any incidents, he said.

And, said Coun Leigh: “we’ve not really been included in the Mass Transit plan as such.

“We need WYCA to be including us in other plans – there’s a danger we could get left behind if they don’t include us.”

But Coun Scullion said it was wrong to say Calderdale was not involved in transport plans but “it’s not everything, everywhere, all at once.”

Calderdale was very involved in bus franchising issues, she said.

Coun Scullion said her party’s motion aimed to be very focused on the rail issue.