HUDDERSFIELD passengers will benefit from a multi-billion pound upgrade of the rail network.

But people in the Colne Valley were last night warned that yesterday’s announcement could hit their services.

Prime Minister David Cameron unveiled £4.2bn of new investment in the rail network yesterday.

The package includes £322m for the so-called Northern Hub, an ambitious plan to electrify the line from Liverpool to the outskirts of York.

The investment will mean the number of hourly fast services between Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester will increase from four to six.

Journey times between Leeds and Manchester will be cut from 54 to 45 minutes.

Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney welcomed the new spending yesterday.

“I’m absolutely delighted. Having campaigned for more than a year for the Northern Hub, it’s great to know that the Government has agreed to fully fund the Northern Hub,” said the Conservative backbencher.

“This is great news for the North.”

But Mr McCartney added that the investment could hit the stopping service between Huddersfield and Manchester Victoria, which calls at Slaithwaite and Marsden.

“The rail operators will submit their new timetables in two years and the thinking is that we can keep all the stopping services,” he said.

“It’s top of my agenda. As one campaign ends another begins – to ensure these improved services have good connectivity.”

Golcar Labour man Clr Paul Salveson last night warned that train services in the Colne Valley could be disrupted by the Northern Hub changes.