Small English town to get new £32million train station – the first in 60 years
A SMALL town outside Manchester is getting its first train station in 60 years.
The town of Golborne last welcomed trains in the 1960s, to which the rail services were scrapped.
The town has no direct bus or tram services to Manchester either.
The new project would see the station have new links to Manchester, replacing the original train station site.
The £32million station hopes to start works by 2026, and open the following year.
Along with two platforms, a new footbridge and car park along with walking and cycling routes to town are part of the designs.
A new hourly service would connect Wigan and Manchester Victoria, as well as go onwards to Stalybridge.
Journey times would be fast by around 30 minutes, and would connect the nearby town of Leigh – the largest town in the UK without a station.
Manchester’s mayor Andy Burnham said: “It has taken a huge effort to get us to this point, but we have finally reached a major milestone on the journey to reconnect Golborne to the rail network for the first time in over 60 years.
“The proposal is based on extremely sound evidence and huge progress has been made with a planning application being submitted and overwhelming support from local residents.”
The proposal, which spoke to 3,000 people, received 90 per cent support.
Jo Platt, MP for Leigh and Atherton, added that they have been campaigning to reopen Golborne Station since 2017.
They said: “The area has been without rail connectivity for over 60 years, so I welcome the much-needed connectivity that this will bring to residents.
“It will better connect the local community to jobs, education and leisure activities, and is a major step towards making Golborne an even greater place to live and work.”
Golborne was once a mining and textile manufacturing town, although these have declined in recent years.
There are a number of new train stations opening across the UK.
Wixams Train Station hopes to open by 2026, and could connect people to the new Universal Studios theme park hoping to open in Bedford.
The £57million station was first planned 20 years ago.
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