A CAMPAIGN group hoping to see the Skipton to Colne railway line re-opened have welcomed a feasibility study which has been commissioned by North Yorkshire County Council.

The study will be into the possible enhancement and extension of the railway branch line which runs from Skipton towards Grassington but SELRAP (Skipton-East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership) are hoping it will boost their plans to extend the East Lancashire part of the line.

SELRAP chairman Steve Broadbent said: "Any enhancement to this railway line, whether to allow it to carry more passengers or freight, or to enable the Embsay Steam Railway to run into Skipton, can only bring positive environmental and commercial benefits to the area.

"More traffic on the Grassington branch will also strengthen the case for re-opening the Skipton to Colne line, for in effect the two lines are two halves of the same rail corridor. Either line will be able to offer better services with the other fully operational". SELRAP has now called on North Yorkshire County Council to follow the lead set by Skipton MP David Curry and both Craven District and Skipton Town councils who fully support re opening the Skipton to Colne railway line.

Mr Broadbent said: "NYCC should consider extending the Grassington study to include the whole rail corridor into East Lancashire. We could then see through rail services between the Grassington branch, Skipton and Manchester and Preston, opening up many journey opportunities for business, education, tourism and leisure."

SELRAP campaigns for the safeguarding of the former railway trackbed from Skipton to Colne from any development so that it can continue to be used for walking and cycling until such times as the restoration of the railway as a full inter-regional route becomes feasible.

Craven District Council has already safeguarded the trackbed in its area.

But some other bodies, including Lancashire County Council, are proposing that much of the trackbed be replaced by a major new road from the M65 at Colne towards the Aire Valley route at Skipton.

By NICOLA MOTT