Burnley-Manchester route top of county's rail plans

But schemes to reinstate rail links between Colne and Skipton and Rawtenstall and Bury were handed a blow after Lancashire County Council decided not to commit resources to them at the moment.

Councillors spent months looking at possible rail improvement schemes across the county as part of a task group report, but only the £7million Todmorden Curve scheme earned their full support.

County Councillor Sarah Fishwick, chairman of the group, said: “The [Todmorden Curve] is the most advanced scheme of all, a scheme with accurate costings worked out, with a very broad base of support and which, perhaps above all the other schemes, delivers on all of the task group's criteria.

“The county council should do all in its power to deliver this scheme, and it should be promoted as widely as possible to get it done.”

The group also called for the council to press its case for investment in local railways.

Coun Fishwick said: “It is time for Lancashire to make its voice heard very clearly on rail.

“The task group hope that, through this piece of work, the council will be able to present a robust and coherent argument to Government, the rail industry and other bodies about the need to invest in Lancashire.”

While the Todmorden Curve received backing, the report said the plans to reinstate 11 miles of track between Colne and Skipton that was removed in the late 1960s had “too many questions” hanging over it.

At an estimated cost of between £40million and £80million, councillors called on campaigners SELRAP (Skipton East Lancashire Railway Action Partnership) to carry out more in depth feasibility studies.

The work would require a new bridge at Vivary Way, as well as three rail crossings on the A56 in or around Earby.

Councillors also questioned whether a Rawtenstall to Bury commuter service could run alongside the heritage trains, and said the area had a “very good and well used” bus area.