EAST Lancashire rail passengers will need to check their train times next month as a new timetable is introduced which includes the return of the 'DalesRail' service from Blackburn and Clitheroe.

The area's main operator Northern will switch to a new schedule on Sunday June 2.

The government-owned firm says the majority of its services are largely unaffected, but some have been re-timed and there are a handful of service changes.

Rail users can check what the new timetable means for them and their local station using the ‘Check My Timetable’ feature on the Northern website.

Among the changes that are taking place in the North West are an increase in capacity on services between Manchester Airport and Liverpool Lime Street; Sunday services between Buxton and Manchester Piccadilly will make additional calls at Heaton Chapel and Levenshulme; and a new Saturday service from Rochdale will link Blackburn, Bolton, Manchester and Salford with the Yorkshire Dales via Clitheroe.

Matt Rice, the new chief operating officer at Northern, said: “We’re all set for the new timetable next month. The vast majority of services are unaffected by the change, but there are a small number of services that have been re-timed.

“Customers should use the ‘Check My Timetable’ tool on the website to see the changes that affect their local station.”

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.