Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to (a) shorten journey times and (b) increase train speeds on the Calder Valley Line between Bradford Interchange and Manchester Victoria.

There is a package of improvements to deliver significant journey time reductions between Bradford and Manchester. This is to be undertaken in two phases: 　as part of the Northern Hub early phases, there will be improvements from Manchester to Sowerby Bridge and later, with independent local funding, improvements are being promoted by West Yorkshire Combined Authority between Sowerby Bridge and Bradford.　 The two schemes together should cut the journey time to 53 minutes, which is approaching an around 9 per cent saving on the current best journey time.