AN OUTLINE business case for major improvements to a vital East Lancashire rail link have been submitted to the county’s public transport chiefs.

The already-proposed upgrade to the Clitheroe to Manchester line, including half-hourly trains to Manchester, is still on track to be completed by the deadline of December 2016.

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Councillor Maureen Bateson, executive member for regeneration, and Councillor Andy Kay, executive member for resources, have approved the £12.4 million submission to Transport for Lancashire, funded by the Local Enterprise Partnership.

Work is set to include an extended passing loop beyond Darwen, dual tracking and improvements to Entwistle, Clitheroe, Whalley, Ramsgreave and Wilpshire and Langho railway stations.

An extra 14 trains per day are eventually scheduled for the line, an improvement on the existing service, which only runs half-hourly trains at rush hour.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is being asked to contribute a sum of £1.28 million for the transport scheme and is in discussions with the Department of Transport and Rail North over the revenue costs of operating the improved line for the first three years.

This would include ensuring that the enhanced line is detailed within the baseline specifications for the new northern area franchise, which will be allocated in March 2016.

Cllr Kay, Blackburn with Darwen council’s executive member for resources, said: “For many years we have been trying to get the line dual tracked so we can secure better services to Manchester.

“This will enable us to move forward with this over the next few months.”

Early payments will allow Network Rail to begin drawing up detailed designs and plans for the project, in advance of an anticipated summer start.

The deal for the line, which followed lobbying by Blackburn with Darwen Council and MPs Jack Straw, Nigel Evans and Jake Berry, was signed last June after an eight-year wait and covers double tracking in Sough Tunnel and Farnworth Tunnel, near Bolton.

Mr Straw, at the launch, said that future ambitions for East Lancashire’s two main lines would now be electrification between Clitheroe and Bolton, getting rid of the unpopular Pacer diesel trains, dual tracks beyond Burnley Central and the restoration of the stopper service beyond Colne and across into Skipton.