Lancashire Live News, 13th September 2024
'Reopening would bring many benefits for the north and wider UK', meeting told
The many benefits across northern England - and the wider UK - by reinstating a Skipton to Colne rail link mean the route could be third in the queue nationally for support from the new government, a rail expert told campaigners in Lancashire.
The Skipton East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership (SELRAP) says recent talks since July's general election raise hope about reinstating the 12-mile link between Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Their long-term aim is to expand connections from west to east, including for Blackpool, Preston, Liverpool, Bradford, Leeds and Hull, through a new Colne-Skipton section. The link closed in the 1970s.
At SELRAP's latest meeting in Colne, speakers said recent talks with many council leaders, council chief executives, MPs and industry representatives were positive. Locations have included Blackburn, Burnley, Pendle, Keighley and Bradford. Senior figures now want to talk in-depth about Skipton to Colne, speakers said. The audience included a number of Pendle councillors.
The SELRAP Colne-Skipton rail campaign meeting in Colne Town Hall (Image: Robbie MacDonald LDRS)
Factors include rising demand for extra freight trains serving northern ports, industry and North Sea carbon capture projects. This involves industrial emissions being treated and stored underground.
Energy firm Drax, which has a power station near Selby and other renewable projects, backs the Skipton-Colne campaign for freight needs. East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and Skipton Building Society also support it.
SELRAP said there is now a greater government focus on national housing, climate change and energy issues along with improving regional economies, infrastructure and inequalities.
'Pace of change'
Speakers included Steve Broadbent, a retired journalist for Rail magazine who also worked with regional train firms . When younger, he worked with aircraft at BAE Systems at Warton, Lancashire. Today, he lives in Ilkley.
Outlining recent events, he said: "The new government could get a lot of good news by running a rail line through deprived areas for not much money. There aren't a lot of rail openings but there are some developments, such as the Leamside line between Newcastle and County Durham. That's been talked about for years. Now the government is talking about reopening it with the Tees Valley Combined Authority. That's important. We can be reasonable optimistic that SELRAP is in the queue. Maybe third?"
He added: "There has been a considerable change regarding railways. The new government has many challenges but is also putting a lot of emphasis on rail. Reinstating a railway is not easy and SELRAP's long term campaign is typical of how things are done in this country. But since July, the pace of change has been quite remarkable with Labour.
"On July 8, the government's first working day, Keir Starmer appointed Louise Haigh as Transport Secretary and Lord Peter Hendy as a rail minister. It's quite unusual to have an expert like that. You could not ask for a better-qualified person.
"On July 9, Keir Starmer summoned regional mayors and set-out plans for devolution, rail and buses. Mayors from West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Teesside, South Yorkshire and Liverpool were there. But sadly not Lancashire. But that's in the pipeline.
"This week, more bus service devolution has been announced and we can expect more announcements. Transport for the North, mayors and councils will have a considerable say in future."
"The previous government's Reinstating Your Railways project was also scrapped. That was well-meaning but only had £500million to reverse the Beeching cuts of the 1960s. It was grossly under-funded and a lot of money was spent on paperwork. I'm not sad it's gone. The new government can focus on particular projects. "
He welcomed recent progress on Clitheroe to Hellifield and Settle-Carlisle train links restored in July.
'Key people'
A meeting in Bradford in August was a key development for Colne to Skipton, he said. "It was re-arranged so Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe could attend. She is the leader of Bradford City Council, transport committee chairperson at West Yorkshire Combined Authority and important at Transport for the North (TfN).
"I understand she has been asking for more information and briefing herself about the implications for West Yorkshire regarding Skipton to Colne. She would not have attended unless she thinks this is a good idea. And she has links to Tracy Brabin, West Yorkshire's Mayor, another key person."
He added: "Some people will have gone to that Bradford meeting, thinking it was about opening a little branch line. It is not. It was about a high quality link between Leeds, Preston and Blackpool. The current service from Blackpool via Hebden Bridge to Bradford and Leeds is very slow. For a long time, people have wanted a second route via Skipton because it would be quicker."
He also said a new train depot is being built at Shipley, north of Bradford, because of activities further south at Neville Hill in Leeds for Northern Powerhouse line improvements between Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds. Potentially, the Colne-Skipton link could be assisted by this and Northern Powerhouse rail funding too, he suggested. Train and infrastructure firms want to keep line closures, known as 'possessions', for upgrades to a minimum. If Colne-Skipton's reopening offered an alternative route through the Pennines, there could be multiple benefits.
From left: Steve Broadbent, Jane Wood, Andy Dixon, Peter Bryson and Chris Oakley, seated, at the SELRAP Colne-Skipton rail meeting in Colne Town Hall (Image: Robbie MacDonald LDRS)
He said other key developments include train disputes being settled and the Rail and Urban Transport Review to get rail projects delivered faster and cheaper.
Also rain companies are gradually being taken into public ownership and the Passenger Railways Service (Public Ownership) Bill is progressing in Westminster. He said: "The three big services coming into Leeds are all under public ownership - TransPennine, Northern and LNER. Others will join over time. It's a major step forward."