On Tuesday 2nd July Jake Berry MP, Nigel Evans MP, Rt Hon Jack Straw MP
and Andrew Lightfoot from Blackburn Council met with Network Rail in the
House of Commons. The meeting covered progress to date on the proposed
improvements to the Manchester to Clitheroe line. Following the meeting
Mr Berry, Mr Evans & Mr Straw commented:
"We very much welcome the progress that has been made on moving the rail
upgrade works forward. It is good news that the Manchester-Clitheroe
project has been prioritised by the Transport for Lancashire Local
Transport Board as one of four schemes with key strategic importance for
the region, to be funded between 2015 - 2019. Based on the update by Paul
Hodson of Network Rail we are pleased that good progress has been made
towards reaching a key decision on the project, based on final costings,
in November of this year. Network Rail are confident the upgrade works
can be aligned with existing track closures in the late spring of 2015
minimising the impact for rail travellers and that the enhanced service
can be introduced within 12 months of those works finishing."