Pennine Lancashire: Closing the gap

It’s a small 12 mile stretch of abandoned railway north of Colne but it represents the route the government needs to set off on if it is to reach its levelling-up destination.

The line between Colne and Skipton was removed in 1970. Restoring it would bring a massive economic boost to East Lancashire.

It would open up Yorkshire’s economic powerhouses to its communities and businesses and create a major trans-Pennine route linking Liverpool on the west coast to Hull in the east. Little wonder it has been described as a “no brainer”.

It is also one of a number of rail project proposals that would be of major benefit, not just to the east but to the whole of the county.

Last spring, the Department for Transport (DfT) authorised the progression of the Skipton to Colne project through to the ‘develop’ stage of the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP). Campaigners are now waiting to see what happens next.

Initially the focus was on restoring passenger services to “transform connectivity”, however supporters of the scheme say it is vital that the line has the capability to become a major east-west freight route.

In November last year the Skipton East Lancs Rail Action Partnership (SELRAP) pressure group commissioned a study from global engineering and consultancy firm Arup.