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Fresh push for faster trains between Burnley and Manchester
10:29pm Wednesday 12th March 2008
By Peter Magill »
A FRESH study has been commissioned as part of a bid to establish faster rail links between Burnley and Manchester.
Town leaders believe that reducing the journey time between Burnley Manchester Road, and Manchester Victoria train stations will improve the economic and social outlook for Burnley residents.
JOIN THE DEBATE
Should the Todmorden Curve be reinstated? Add your comments below.
And a new attempt to convince Network Rail of the benefits of reinstating the Todmorden Curve, allowing a 38-minute service between Burnley and Manchester, has now been launched by consultants.
Currently it can take between 75 minutes and an hour-and-a-half to travel to the city, with commuters being forced to switch trains at Hebden Bridge - or Blackburn in the opposite direction.
A Burnley Council spokesman said: "They are working up the social and economic benefits of the scheme, as part of work to convince Network Rail that this is a vital and much-needed proposition."
Campaigners from the Independent Railway and Transport Executive are championing the reinstatement of the Todmorden Curve, which closed to trains just more than 40 years ago.
Last year consultants Faber Maunsell were asked to come up with a number of options for improving rail links to Manchester.
They said that the Todmorden Curve alternative - where an old line offering a "turnback" facility for trains would be reopened - was the most cost-effective choice at £8.2million.
Council officials met with Network Rail bosses in the wake of the Faber Maunsell findings, to argue that the Burnley scheme deserved to be considered as a priority.
Consultants insisted that the Todmorden Curve plan was more plausible than proposals to upgrade the Blackburn line, the other option which could offer improved services to Burnley.
New consultants - London-based Colin Buchanan - have now been employed by the borough council to revamp the Burnley bid.
Rail users say that only 400yards of extra track and three points would be needed to complete the regeneration works.
Your Say YourTelegraph
Burnley Taxpayer, Burnley says...
4:15pm Mon 28 Apr 08
MIKEOXLONG, says...
10:29pm Fri 14 Mar 08
ian, from Burnley says...
4:48pm Thu 13 Mar 08
C Ward, says...
3:54pm Thu 13 Mar 08
Caz, Burnley says...
9:31am Thu 13 Mar 08
And, if the study, is really so necessary, why do we need a London firm to carry this out - no local talent that we could have turned to????
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David, Walsden says...
12:33pm Thu 19 Jun 08
It is a very complex issue, involving three PTAs, Network Rail, and numerous local and regional authorities, development agencies, train operating companies and so on and so forth.
Three major issues stand out to me - I'm only an interested passenger, not an expert. Firstly, the track through Todmorden station is cambered (the train leans) because it's on a long curve. This would need to be altered so the track was level for the junction. Levelling the track would mean altering the platforms to maintain the train to platform distance criteria.
Secondly, various signals would need to be modified or moved and others added, depending on the chosen track layout - I would prefer double track.
Thirdly, the journey from Manchester to Burnley involves three Passenger Transport Executives/Authoriti
es. Whilst brilliantly effective in cutting travel costs within their own areas, travel between areas can be very expensive, e.g. Walsden (West Yorks. Metro) to Manchester (Greater Manchester PTE) three years or so ago set me back £20-25 (return) for two adults and a child, whereas Littleborough to Manchester would have cost £7.50. Add another PTA and there are serious cost implications for Burnley to Manchester via Todmorden.
It's far cheeaper to take the family by car!
I for one would like to see the curve re-instated, but bringing all the necessary parties together and hammering out a common sense, affordable solution won't be an easy task, and it would be so much cheaper without all the various consultants' reports.
The social and economic benefits are enormous, and we have to try and get cars off the roads, so never mind the cost, just do it!