Commuters on the Bradford district’s overcrowded rail lines have been given a boost with the announcement of extra seats on rush hour trains.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond revealed 20 extra carriages will be given to West Yorkshire’s rail network by the end of the year – an investment of about £10 million.

Last night, train operator Northern Rail said it meant the heavily overcrowded Airedale and Wharfedale lines, from Skipton to Leeds and Ilkley to Leeds, will see an additional eight carriages a day, every day, in the shape of Class 322 electric trains.

Services on the Caldervale line from Leeds to Manchester Victoria via Bradford Interchange will also be lengthened. In total, for both Leeds and Manchester, the additional carriages are planned to provide seating and standing capacity for an extra 3,173 passengers every day.

The news was positively received by Northern Rail and Councillor Chris Greaves, chairman of Metro – the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority – and broadly welcomed by rail user groups.

“This will be very good news for the many people who have to travel on overcrowded commuter services every day and also represents a welcome boost for the local economy in these difficult times,” said Coun Greaves.

“We have been pressing for these additional carriages and are pleased that this announcement will see an additional 2,200 seats per day on four of the busiest routes in and out of Leeds from December 2011.

“The extra capacity will also help Metro’s proposals for new stations at Kirkstall Forge, Apperley Bridge and Low Moor, and mean we can continue to develop local rail services as the quick, convenient and comfortable way to get around the City Region.”

Northern Rail’s managing director Ian Bevan said: “These carriages will enable us to provide an extra 600,000 seats every year for passengers on peak time services in and around Leeds from December.”

Peter Wilkinson, chairman of the Wharfedale Rail Users Group, was slightly cautious.

“Whilst it’s obviously very welcome, how are they going to fit them in?” he said. “Time will tell.”

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