Reopening line 'a no-brainer' or 'insanely expensive'?

Supporters of a bid to re-open a railway line closed for more than 50 years say their campaign "never had a better opportunity" to succeed.

The Skipton East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership (SELRAP) has launched a new petition calling on the government to reinstate the 12-mile (19km) Colne to Skipton line, which has been shut since 1970.

Nick Tennant, vice chair of SELRAP said: "Even the rail minister has said it's a good strategic scheme that is needed, and that's echoed across the board. It's a no-brainer."

But a resident living close to the disused line told the BBC that re-opening it would be "insanely expensive and for very little gain".

In 2018, the then-Conservative government carried out a feasibility study into reopening the line.

That study found it was feasibile, but would cost around £300m and nothing was done.

New hope came when the Lancashire Combined County Authority moved it onto a long-list of projects to support.

Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Phil Riley, who is responsible for transport at the combined authority, said: "It's being considered for technical review and re-basing of the cost benefits."

The latest effort has won cross-party support and the backing of business community, with the petition calling it a "fair and cost-effective option to create life-changing opportunities for the young and those without a car".

Pendle and Clitheroe MP Jonathan Hinder said reconnecting Lancashire and Yorkshire would be "transformational".

He said: "It's a fraction of the money that's been spent on things like HS2 and is going to be spent on the transpennine upgrade."

Conservative councillor Sarah Cockburn-Price thinks it will have huge benefits: "I think it would really open up lots of economic business but also leisure opportunities."

Scott Earing, the chair of the Pendle Vision Board which represents local businesses, he said: "The economic growth, the visitor economy, the manufacturing, all the things that we talk about in creating wealth it will open up a new corridor for us."

Simon Brierley, chief executive of East Lancashire Commerce, added: "Reopening the Colne-Skipton Line would give companies access to bigger markets, a wider workforce and new opportunities on both sides of the Pennines."

Most of the track is no longer there, and if the old route were to be reinstated, it would need to cross the busy Vivary Way.

For some residents who live alongside the old route, it would also mean a rail line in their back gardens and very close to their homes.

Nick Tofalos, from Earby, said: "We just look at this and think it's insanely expensive for precious little gain.

"They talk about putting freight through here, if that's passing through all the time it would damage our house and how would that benefit the local area?"

He said he thought a better use of the old route would be to create a cycle route.

The online petition is to be presented to Parliament next year.

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