Half-hourly Holme Valley trains plan welcomed

Nov 4 2009 By Dave Himelfield

IMPROVEMENTS to an outdated but popular rail service could be in the pipeline.

Kirklees Council is hoping to double the frequency of services on the Penistone Line, which runs from Huddersfield to Sheffield via Holme Valley.

Plans were announced at a Holme Valley North Area Committee meeting yesterday.

And operator Northern Rail has secured Department for Transport money to improve facilities at stations along the line.

Rail users were left disappointed when a light rail ‘Tram-Train’ pilot scheme along the line was postponed in September for at least five years.

But since then Kirklees Council says it has been in talks with rail operators to upgrade the slow and ageing hourly service.

It is hoped improvements will reduce traffic jams and stimulate economic development in the areas served by the Penistone Line.

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: “The proposals are at an early stage, but we are encouraging improvements which reflect the increase in demand.

“Northern Trains have started operating larger, three-coach trains on some services and the operator of the stations, Northern Rail, recently secured Department for Transport funding for extra facilities at each Penistone Line station.