A RAFT of possible solutions to tackle on-going traffic hold ups between East Lancashire and Manchester have been unveiled.

New bus lanes on the A56 and M66 and plans to convert part of the route into a ‘smart motorway’ have been put forward by Lancashire County Council to solve the regular congestion at peak times.


But campaigners are adamant that the suggestions will only go part of the way to improving transport links between the two areas over the next few years.

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The X41 bus service, from Blackburn to Manchester via Accrington and Haslingden, and the X43, connecting Colne, Burnley and Rawtenstall to the city, face frequent delays at busy times.


Rossendale Council’s leader Cllr Alyson Barnes believes the county’s authorities should still press ahead with a third mainline rail link between East Lancashire and the city centre, using the heritage line.


The debate has been sparked again by the completion of a new A56/M66 gateway study, commissioned by County Hall as part of its transport masterplan for the area.


Four key recommendations, concerning the bus lanes, upgrading the M66 to become a ‘smart’ motorway and improvements at the points where the A56 links with the M65 and M66, and where the M66 connects with the M60 at Simister Island, have been made. 


Peter Hibbert, of private transport consultants Jacobs, which completed the study, acknowledged there was a “strong perception” that East Lancashire was poorly connected, with “inadequate road and rail networks” hindering the movement of both people and goods.


He said: “The prioritised options have the potential to deliver significant transport benefits and subsequently facilitate future economic growth.”


Mr Hibbert has advised that Highways England’s next route strategy process, post 2020, would be the main mechanism for introducing the proposed changes.


Cllr Barnes said: “Our strong feeling is that this problem will be much worse by 2020, or 2025.


“Some of the improvements suggested at Simister Island are pretty crucial to the whole process but in the longer term we need to be pushing for our own rail link.”


Trials of a new X43 express service to Manchester, with limited stops beyond Burnley, Rawtenstall and Manchester, have been welcomed by Cllr Barnes, who will press operator Transdev for the scheme to be extended beyond peak hours.


The transport consultants have previously said that with a one-hourly service between Rawtenstall and Manchester there would need to be more than 674,000 rail journeys made per year, projected demand suggested only 492,000 would be made annually.


This would require a yearly subsidy of more than £591,000, which would probably fall on the county council.


Another possibility, running trams alongside trains to connect with the Metrolink at Bury, has faced opposition as the heritage line would need to be electrified and other costly engineering improvements made, before it could be seriously considered.


County Cllr Claire Pritchard, who represents Accrington North, said she would have been in favour of extending the Metrolink, initially to Rawtenstall and then through to Accrington.


She said: “The problem with the motorway is the sheer volume of traffic which is currently using it, rather than its condition, and there will always be people who will prefer to drive to Manchester.


“But there are number of things which could be done to improve public transport, and speed up journeys, which I would support.”


The original rail spur between Manchester and Rawtenstall, which ran to Bacup, was axed as part of the Beeching rail reforms in December 1966.


Extra half-hourly services have been pledged between Clitheroe, Blackburn, Darwen and Manchester, and the Todmoden Curve was reopened, allowing faster trains from Accrington and Burnley Manchester Road stations to the city.