Station work moves ahead for Todmorden Curve

Burnley Council's planning committee has given the go-ahead for the transformation of Manchester Road railway station.

The council will redevelop the station in partnership with Lancashire County Council, the East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership, Northern Rail and Network Rail.

The work is needed to prepare for the increase in passengers due to the reopening of the Todmorden Curve which will see travel times to Manchester cut from 1hr 10mins to 53mins.

The plans include refurbishment of the former railway station building, manned ticket office, new canopies for the station building, new platform shelters, community facility for East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership and Northern Rail Community Ambassadors, improved entrance by foot from Manchester Road, new car parking to provide 49 spaces and four new disabled access parking spaces; and new cycle parking provision.

Work has already started at the station, with some initial enabling works including the demolition of extensions relating to the former use as a dairy distribution depot and the clearance of vegetation.

In addition, a funding application to the Interreg IV B programme for European Regional Development Fund cash has been submitted by Lancashire County Council. The application has been conditionally approved with full approval expected soon.

The station was originally built in the current location at Manchester Road in 1886. This station was, in turn, closed on 6 November 1961 and subsequently re-opened on 29 September 1986. By the time it was re-opened, the station building, the majority of which still exists, had been sold out of railway use for use as a dairy storage and distribution facility. The site was bought by Burnley Council and Lancashire County Council in November 2011 with the aim of bringing the building back into rail use.