A NEW half hourly train service operating between Blackburn and Manchester will be launched next month.

The service, which will be operated by Northern, will begin on December 10 and will call at Blackburn, Darwen, Bromley Cross, Hall I’ th’ Wood, Bolton, Salford Crescent and Salford Central, before arriving in Manchester.

The new route will run at 33 past the hour from Blackburn and 28 past the hour from Manchester Victoria, Monday to Saturday, between 09.30am and 5.30pm.

The extra train will mean there are two fast services every hour between Manchester and Blackburn, taking 55 minutes and Darwen to Manchester taking just 48 minutes, plus an additional third slower train, taking one hour and and 15 minutes, per hour via Todmorden.

Executive member for Regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Councillor Phil Riley, said:

“This is fantastic news for Blackburn and Darwen and one that the Council has worked very hard to achieve.

"It’s not only good news for existing residents but it means the offer in Blackburn with Darwen, which includes many new high quality housing developments and regenerated and thriving town centres is even more desirable for people who might want to move to the area but continue to work outside of the borough.

"It also means businesses are more likely to relocate to Blackburn with Darwen and boost employment opportunities for local people.”