KIRKLEES will have its first direct train to London in time for Christmas.

Grand Central yesterday confirmed that its service from Bradford to the capital will call at Mirfield from December.

Clr Martyn Bolt, who has campaigned for two years for the move, is delighted with the news.

“I think it’s fantastic for the whole of Kirklees,” said the Mirfield Conservative.

“To have a direct train to London will move business forward. People will be able to travel to and from the capital without driving to Wakefield Westgate.

“Mirfield will become the focal point for Kirklees.”

From Monday December 12, three trains a day will call at Mirfield on the way to London, with another three services from the capital stopping in the town on the way to Bradford.

The 6.51am service from Bradford Interchange will call at Halifax and Brighouse before reaching Mirfield at 7.28am. The train will arrive in London King’s Cross at 10.13am.

A second train will leave Bradford at 10.22am, calling at Mirfield at 10.56am and arriving in the capital at 1.45pm.

And a third daily service will depart from Bradford at 3.37pm, stopping at Mirfield at 4.13pm and reaching King’s Cross at 7.05pm.

There will also be three trains a day from London which will stop at Mirfield on the way to Bradford.

The service will run on weekdays and Sundays.

On Saturdays two services to London will stop at Mirfield and all three coming back.

Clr Bolt, who represents Mirfield on Kirklees Council, said: “It’s an extensive service. The quality of Grand Central’s fleet is fantastic and the trains will also feature paintings by Ashley Jackson, so it will be like a mobile art exhibition.”

Grand Central informed Clr Bolt of the good news earlier this week.

“I’ve been involved with this for two years and it’s one of those cases where tenacity has paid off,” he said yesterday.

“I remember a meeting of Mirfield Area Committee in 2009 when a council officer told me ‘it’s a nice idea, but it’ll never happen’.”

Dewsbury MP Simon Reevell also welcomed the news yesterday.

The Conservative said: “It is great to see Mirfield appearing on the Grand Central timetable.

“As there is now a daily direct link to London, it is really good news that constituents will no longer need to travel to Wakefield, Brighouse or Leeds.

“I very much hope that local residents will use this service, not least to visit the House of Commons in the near future”.