A NEW hope has emerged for campaigners looking to re-establish a link between East Lancashire and North Yorkshire after a transport chief signalled concerns about possible logjams in Calderdale and Leeds.

County councillor John Fillis, Lancashire County Council’s transport cabinet member, said the capacity of the Calder Vale Line, between Todmorden and Leeds, could soon be an issue.

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And he believes that the reinstatement of the line between Colne and Skipton – the focus of years of lobbying by SELRAP (Skipton East Lancashire Rail Partnership) – may need to be assessed against that backdrop.

Cllr Fillis said: “Quick, reliable, transport connections are vital to ensure people and goods can move efficiently and support our economy, and significant investment is needed in East Lancashire’s rail network if the area is to realise its potential in the coming years.”

Dave Colbert, a specialist transportation advisor, added: “Should future economic circumstances dictate that connectivity between East Lancashire and Leeds be enhanced to the point where capacity on the Calder Valley line becomes a constraining factor, consideration of alternative options between Burnley and Leeds such as reinstatement of the line between Colne and Skipton and associated upgrade of the existing Colne branch may become necessary.”

Recent developments have included the new faster service linking Burnley and Accrington with Manchester – thanks to the Todmorden curve – with £12 million worth of improvements scheduled for the line between Clitheroe and the city.

Rail enthusiasts from SELRAP have welcomed the county council establishing an ‘output definitions group’, which will consider the best ways of promoting the Colne-Skipton line’s rebirth, ahead of a North of England rail review in 2016.

“The outcome from that review could be a crucial factor in determining whether the Skipton – Colne scheme features within the DFT’s long term planning process,” said media officer Jane Wood.

New figures also show demand for rail services has increased by 44.7 per cent along the Clitheroe line and 41.8 per cent on the East Lancashire Line over the past eight years.