Burnley & Pendle Citizen - the local newspaper for our community

Extra trains plan hits the buffers

From the Lancashire Telegraph, first published Tuesday 22nd May 2007.

BLACKBURN'S hope of having a half-hourly train service to Manchester has been dealt a blow - over fears that it would cost £12million more than anticipated.

In March, Blackburn with Darwen Council revealed an £8million bid to the Department of Transport to install faster track, a mile-long section of double track, better signals and longer trains at peak times.

Chiefs said it would mean that a half-hourly service could run all-day instead of just at peak times.

But a report by Network Rail has poured cold water on the possibility of a half-hourly service as it states that the infrastructure required would cost £20million. The report says there are other priorities in the North West.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "There appears to be a proven case for increasing the off-peak service from Manchester to Preston by one extra train every hour but there is not the same case so far as the Blackburn route is concerned.

"Both routes from Manchester go through Salford Crescent. This is a congested railway and there is unlikely to be room on the tracks for more than one additional train.

"On present evidence there is a proven business case for the extra Preston train. Having said that, there is also a proposal to relocate Salford Crescent station.

"That would increase capacity through the station and open the way for the extra train on the Blackburn route. If we can find a way of reducing the anticipated cost of £20million to double the track between Bromley Cross and Darwen, we may consider an extra train on the Manchester to Black-burn route."

When the council unveiled its bid, the upgrade of the line was hailed as vital to the economic success of East Lancs.

The line is single track between Darwen and Bromley Cross, and alth-ough half-hourly services run at peak times, improvements and more double track are needed for it to run reliably.

Council chiefs said if the bid was successful, work could start by the end of the year, with the new services in four years.

Andrew Lightfoot, dep-uty chief executive for the council said: "Our bid for funding is outside these workstreams and we have formally submitted a bid to the Department for Transport Rail to see if there are any further grant streams that we can tap into and this is being supported by Jack Straw and Janet Anderson.

"The issue of additional rolling stock is still being considered by Northern Rail which is taking delivery of 30, two-car units later this year."

Network Rail chiefs will now draw up a further more detailed report of the services in Lancashire before making further recommendations.

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