Plans unveiled by Network Rail this week include a 40 per cent increase in trains – an extra 700 services – across the region with more frequent services to Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield.
In West Yorkshire the key benefits for passengers could include faster journey times – 43 minutes – between Leeds and Manchester and more frequent services between Huddersfield and Dewsbury.
Stephen Waring, chairman of Halifax and District Railway Action Group, said the announcement was good news for train passengers in the region but it was important to make sure that towns such as Brighouse were not left out of the investment plans.
"There is the potential for a fast rail link from Brighouse to Leeds in 20 minutes. The challenge is to keep the momentum going and secure the funding for it. The recent spell of bad weather when the trains through the Calder Valley mostly ran very well has proved how vital the rail services are," he said.
Ian Coucher, chief executive of Network Rail, said: "Rail is a massive success story in the north with many thousands of people travelling with us every day and more than 90 per cent of services arriving on time. Through better connections, faster services and improved stations we want to trigger wider growth in the north which in turn will support local jobs and businesses."
Network Rail proposes significant investment in rail over the next 10 years to build on work which is already under way. There are plans for new track, viaducts, platforms and electrification.