Huddersfield could lose its train services for months amid FIVE years of disruption if TransPennine upgrade work is fast-tracked, a rail boss has warned.

A leaked letter from a Network Rail director to the Transport Secretary has said the entire line between Leeds and Manchester would be severely disrupted for 39 weeks per year for five years as part of the long awaited £2.9bn improvement , scheduled to start in 2020.

It predicts that Huddersfield would lose its direct rail link to both Leeds and Manchester and says, “Communities at Ravensthorpe, Mirfield, Batley, Dewsbury, Marsden and Slaithwaite would be hugely affected as many rail services would need to become bus replacements”.

Journey times would increase by 15 to 20 minutes as services are diverted along the Calder Valley line.

The letter from Rob McIntosh, Network Rail’s route director, spells out the difficulties of the "very ambitious programme" but also offers some hope for embattled passengers.

It says the work will "transform the passenger experience between York, Leeds and Manchester" but warns "this level of ambition cannot be delivered without significant disruption".

It is thought the plan will see sections of the route completely blocked off and services sent on the Calder Valley line instead.

Colne Valley MP Thelma Walker.

Colne Valley MP Thelma Walker has criticised the leak, describing it as an “attempt to test public and political reaction”.

She said: “I am disappointed that there was not a formal briefing for MPs in whose constituencies construction work will take place.

“The same tactic of drip feeding bad news has already been used to lower expectations regarding the full electrification of the line, which was initially promised by the Conservative government.

“My initial concern is that the inevitably extensive construction work in the Colne Valley will hit our services and disrupt the wider community.

“It is my hope, however, that we will see every effort being made to schedule work so that this stretch is closed for the minimum period of time whilst trains by-pass our stations.

“Potentially, the upgrade is positive, if it delivers a modern railway providing improved capacity, frequency and reliability.

“This must deliver these benefits for passengers from Huddersfield, Slaithwaite and Marsden, rather than being exclusively focused on passengers travelling between Manchester and Leeds.”

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Colne Valley councillor, Rob Walker, who is also chairman of the Slaithwaite and Marsden Action on Rail Transport (SMART) group, said he had seen the letter and believed rail operators would be forced to use the Calder Valley route during the significant portions of the upgrade project.

Kirklees Council member for Colne Valley Clr. Rob Walker.

“We could end up with no service at all,” he warned.

“In the long term this will bring real benefits but in the short term it could cause a lot of grief because of the scale of building work taking place.

“We would hope they would do some proper consultation with local politicians, and more importantly with the wider community, before anything is decided.

“What I worry about is because we are on the fringes of Leeds and Manchester, when decisions are made the emphasis is on the passengers from the big cities and not enough consideration is given to us.

“It’s clear from the May timetable scandal that people from Slaithwaite and Marsden have probably suffered more than anybody else.

“We’ve already been let down in terms of what was promised.

“I’ve seen people in tears on the platforms when their trains don’t turn up.

“We’ve heard of people getting their wages docked £20 every time they’re late.

“It’s vital we get more people on trains and less in cars, but at the moment it’s going the other way.”