Trains face months of disruption amid upgrade

Rail passengers are being warned of "significant disruption" to journeys between Leeds and Huddersfield until June as part of major upgrade work.

Trains will not call at Huddersfield or Slaithwaite stations during weekends in April and most of May.

In addition, there will no trains departing Huddersfield towards Dewsbury and Leeds on more than a dozen dates in May and several in June.

The disruption is to allow for work on the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) - a major modernisation project aimed at transforming train services across the north of England.

The TRU website said the closures would enable the safe delivery of critical infrastructure upgrades, including track and drainage renewals, bridge works, signalling improvements and significant station enhancements along the line between Huddersfield and Leeds.

It said, wherever possible, customers would remain on trains, using diversionary routes or services running as close as possible to the closure areas.

"However, journey times will change, and some customers may need to use rail replacement buses for part of their trip," it added.

For those travelling to or from Huddersfield during affected periods, Brighouse station will be used as a rail and bus interchange.

In addition, on weekdays in June there will be no trains through Dewsbury, with amended timetables in places and services diverted between Huddersfield and Leeds via Wakefield Kirkgate.

A TRU spokesperson said: "We understand the ongoing work will cause some disruption, and we'd like to thank everybody for their patience throughout this period."

They said the upgrade would bring "more trains, more seats and faster, more reliable journeys across the North".

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