Public asked for views on controversial East Lancashire commuter proposals

FEARS for the future of the East Lancashire Railway have again been sounded as a £150,000 study which will include using the heritage line for commuter trains running between Rawtenstall and Manchester got underway.

As reported in issue 287 of Heritage Railway, Rossendale Council was successful in securing funding from Restoring Your Railway and Lancashire County Council to produce a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) into the travel corridor between the two destinations. A public consultation exercise into the scheme is now in progress.

Congestion

Council leader Alyson Barnes said: “There are major employment and residential projects planned in Greater Manchester in the coming years which will no doubt add to congestion on the M66, so we really need to plan now to minimise the effects of this on residents and businesses in Rossendale.

“The SOBC we are undertaking is the first step in really understanding what will work for Rossendale.”

The proposed link would see journey times of about 50 minutes into central Manchester, and car journeys on the M66/A56 reduced to between one to three million.

The ELR would be used between Rawtenstall and a specially-designed interchange station with Manchester Metrolink at Buckley Wells.

Systra Consulting has been appointed by Rossendale Council to carry out the SOBC and has produced a residents’ and business survey to assist in drafting the report.

However, ELR chairman Mike Kelly said: “I would like to restate the ELR’s deep concerns that the development, as proposed, would,

“It is our considered view that a new commuter line cannot operationally or financially coexist with the existing East Lancashire heritage line...”

at best, threaten the efficient and effective operations of – and at worst, force the complete closure of – the heritage railway line operated by ELR, thus threatening the growth plans in Bury town centre, Ramsbottom, and for Rochdale at Heywood and Castleton.

“It is our considered view that a new commuter line cannot operationally or financially coexist with the existing East Lancashire heritage line that our volunteers have given so much time and effort to preserve over the last 30-plus years.

“I would still suggest this new study should look at alternative, more cost-effective, deliverable options to improve transport links between Manchester and Rossendale.”

Coun Barnes said: “We really value the ELR, which is an important and much-loved asset for Rossendale, and we are seeking a solution that secures the financial and operational future of the ELR.

“We want to make sure we maintain the traditional look of the station, the signalling, and the ELR rolling stock, and the important role the volunteers play to continue.

Opportunities

“It is vitally important we hear the views of residents and businesses, not just in Rossendale but also all the way down the proposed line to gain a greater understanding of the needs and requirements of commuters to help us secure this much-needed investment in our transport infrastructure.”

Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for Highways and Transport, Coun Charlie Edwards, added: “Reviving Rawtenstall’s heritage railway for public use will open up more employment opportunities and reduce congestion on the A56/M66 corridor, supporting progress towards a net zero carbon economy.”

The survey closes on June 22 and the study is expected to be completed around September.