RAIL services on lines through East Lancashire will be reduced from today because of lockdown.

Operator Northern has announced the Clitheroe to Manchester Victoria service. which calls at Whalley, Langho, Ramsgreave and Wilpshire, Blackburn, Darwen and Entwistle, is being curtailed.

Peak services will run as usual but the route will then revert to being hourly. The 0648, 0718 and 0748 services to Manchester will run as normal from Blackburn before the hourly trains kick in. The evening peak returns will still operate.

In a similar vein, the Colne to Blackpool South service, through Nelson, Brierfield, Burnley Central, Rose Grove, Hapton, Huncoat, Accrington, Church and Oswaldtwistle. Rishton, Blackburn, Mill Hill, Cherry Tree and Pleasington, will have hourly peak services before becoming two hourly until the evening peak.

The Leeds to Preston service, which calls at Burnley Manchester Road, Accrington and Blackburn, will be two hourly. And the Blackburn to Manchester Victoria service, via Todmodern, will only be three hourly.

Tricia Williams, Northern's chief operating officer at Northern, said: "We will focus on delivering services during the morning and evening peaks so those who need to travel can get to where they’re needed and have the space to maintain social distancing.”

“We’re therefore calling on people to check carefully before they travel and behave responsibly on our trains

"In the meantime, we’ll continue with our programme of enhanced cleaning at our trains and stations to keep our customers as safe as possible and to reduce the risk of transmission while travelling with Northern.”

Passengers are being advised to check on timetables before travelling.