Rossendale strikes out at £80m City Valley Link snub
Lancashire Combined County Authority has begun consultation on the implementation strategy for its local travel plan – but the omission of a rail line linking Rawtenstall to Manchester by rail via Bury has the local authority up in arms.
“Rossendale shouldn’t be left behind again when it comes to transport,” said Rossendale Council Leader Cllr Alyson Barnes.
“We need a plan that recognises our future, not just our past.”
Rossendale is the only borough in Lancashire without a passenger rail station. City Valley Link was meant to change that, providing access to Manchester city centre in 44 minutes. That is half the time it takes to do the journey by car.
First put forward by Systra and Rossendale Council in 2022, City Valley Link would follow the historic East Lancashire Railway, starting at Rawtenstall and stopping at Ewood Bridge, Stubbins, Ramsbottom, and Summerseat before concluding in Bury, where commuters could hop on the Metrolink to go to Manchester Victoria.
A second phase of the scheme would continue on from Bury to Heywood and Castleton before landing at Victoria.
Back in 2022, the plans had an estimated cost of up to £80m and an annual running cost of around £3m-£5m. Systra data showed that much of this would be covered by ticket fares.
City Valley Link was estimated to facilitate as many as 1.2m trips a year, reducing car journeys by 500,000, and reducing congestion on the M66.
Systra and Rossendale Council also predicted they could grow the local economy by at least 5,000 jobs over the next 25 years if they improved rail infrastructure.
While elements of the City Valley Link proposal can be found in the LTP implementation plan, namely the creation of a Ewood railway station, the rest failed to get a mention.
“The City Valley Rail Link is one of the most mature transport schemes in Lancashire, with much of the corridor infrastructure already in place,” Barnes said.
“Leaving it out of the plan is a missed opportunity and one our residents should be seriously concerned about. This is about fairness, ambition and giving people real choices.”
The consultation of the Lancashire LTP Implementation Plan can be accessed at lancashire-cca.gov.uk/have-your-say/local-transport-plan-ltp-implementation-plan-2026-2030. The exercise ends 30 June.
Rail proposals that did make the plan include opening a new TransPennine rail route between Colne and Skipton, improving rail infrastructure between Blackpool and Colne, a new Ewood/Lower Darwen railway station on the Clitheroe-Manchester line, major improvements to Preston and Blackpool North railway stations. Read the implementation plan.
Rossendale isn’t in the GMCA, nor did it want to join GM at it’s formation in the early 70’s.
By Rich X
It is not a Valley (French), it is a Dale (Norse); its in the name, Rossen Dale, dont you know?
By Anonymous
I live in Rossendale and commute to Manchester, much as I would like a train link it just feels crackers that this continues to be promoted.
I can’t comprehend how it comes close to being viable financially and also time wise for a commuter to get themselves to the centre of Rawtenstall, then get a ‘stopper’ to Bury, then change to the tram and trundle to Manchester?
I question the journey times suggested but that feels pretty secondary.
By Valley dweller
The Ewood station proposal included in the plan is Ewood as in Ewood Park not Ewood as in Ewood Bridge.
By Wayfarer2
Rossendale claim City Valley Link gets to Manchester city centre in 44 minutes ‘half the time it takes to do the journey by car’. This isn’t true. Google maps shows journey from 40-70 mins – not quite the transformation claimed. The hourly bus/tram journey currently takes about 50. The East Lancs Railway are implacably opposed. Given this, the capital cost of £80m, plus revenue support for ever, and the decision to exclude it makes sense.
By Peter Black
Extraordinary that this article doesn’t even mention that that route is currently the East Lancashire heritage railway and a major tourist attraction. Regardless of anyone’s stance on this , the fact they are completely opposed – it would completely change the character of the line – is surely a key part of the story for balance if nothing else.
By Anonymous
Having moved here 3 yrs ago from Heywood, we had the problem with Rochdale council not wanting us having the tram stopping at Heywood Station. Just makes you wonder WHO is actually stopping this!!
By Kris
I totally agree that Rossendale should have either a Metro or Train link to, certainly, Bury where we could access the tram to Manchester and beyond, including Manchester Airport.
The railway line is there so I don’t see the problem apart from the will to actually do it.
By Brian P
The ELR goes to Heywood. Is it beyond the wit of man to extend this to Victoria? This is easily doable and could be used as a commuter line on weekdays That would open up Rossendale to the Metrolink, easy access to MediaCity, the airport, the Trafford Centre, and anywhere else.
By Elephant
Rossendale is also the smallest district in Lancashire (after Ribble Valley)
The plan was put forward long before 2022 and every study on every option has not yet been able to put any sort of sensible positive case together to do this. That penny may have dropped with LCC.
By Anonymous
If Rossendale had been a valley it would have had my wholehearted support. But being a mere Dale it is hardly worth consideration.
By Anonymous
Already all car parking places in Rawtenstall are taken by travellers going into Manchester by bus. It’s imperative to charge for stays of longer than three hours. I live locally and can never park in Rawtenstall. It’s disgusting
By Anonymous
We need it to happen. Its not about financial viability. Get the train spotters off the line and re nationalize
By Jim hargreaves
Sorry but this is not particularly well informed solution. ELR could not co-existing with a commuter railway is not a practical propersition for many reasons which I touch upon below.
NOTE – I am a professional rail Engineer of some 48 years including 24 in tramways and not totally uninformed.
• ELR operates under a light railway order which limits their operational speed to 25 mph and recognises the infrastructure and trains are maintained by volunteers. This is not practical for a commuter railway requiring quicker speeds and reduced journey times e.g. Metrolink operates at a max speed of 50mph.
• Running a timetabled sevice at differing speeds would be impracticable, particularly on single track leading to excessive waiting.
• running a railway at higher speeds than permitted by the light railway order would require maintenance to be carried out to national/ heavy railway standards i.e. not by volunteers and therfore significantly more expensive.
• Conversion and operation to national rail standards would in effect signal the end of ELR. Which as someone has pointed out is a charitable organisation without which there would be no railway. How do you compensate the ELR for their loss ?
• ELR brings a not insignificant income to the area in fact has probably put the Irwell Valley on the map. Are we, Rossendale prepared to loose this? None of addresses the Operational and Engineering challenges which aren’t insignificant or couldn’t be overcome at a cost.
All sounds like another politician offering a solution without fully understanding the issues to say nothing of what the Council has paid Systra.
By CAP
Metrolink from chorley to oldham/Shaw/Ashton
By Anonymous
The East Lancs Railway runs to Bury and you can catch the metro to Manchester. The trains are mainly weekends holidays .
By Ann Geary Clark
If this was a project in the south of England it would be given even in part, the green light. There needs to be rethink surely.
By Anonymous
@Jim Hargreaves. That’s a but unnecessary. By all means have a view but to disparage 40 years of voluntary effort that has created a major tourist attraction, brought huge economic benefit and regeneration it its wake most notably in both Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall and ensured that the line still exists with a snidey comment about trainspotters is uncalled for.
By Anonymous
Even at rush hour it isn’t taking 88 mind from Rawtenstall to Manchester by car – the line is justified by affordable mass transport, don’t battle car drivers – offer affordable alternatives.
By Karl H
It would be fantastic if it gets going. There would have to be enough room for parking.
By Margaret Yates
This would be great idea. Teens looking for jobs and being able to get their. Manchester.
By Karen
It does not take 1.5 hours to drive to the centre from rawtenstall. What are they smoking?
I used to drive from rishton to harpurhey in 45 mins every day for work.
By Anonymous
Your article fails to mention that running commuter trains on a single track heritage steam railway with traditional signalling has been widely agreed by experts to be impractical and that the East Lancashire Railway is a major contributor to the local economy.
By Stuart
After four different surveys that all concluded the same thing, that it’s not viable, stop wasting money and concentrate on other worthwhile railway projects.
By Paul Nettleton
The ELR missing a real opportunity here as they have heritage Diesel Multiple Units that could operate a commuter passenger service from Rawtenstall to Burn at a half hour frequency on weekdays, this would not impact the heritage running that takes place at weekends.
The other option would be to allow metro link to lease the line on weekdays, as the Metrolink light rail vehicles where built to heavy rail standards there would be no issues with track or platform height as they are directly comparable, the LRV’s current in use have plenty of space under the floor to hold batteries to power them over the none electrified section.
A further option would be to allow Metro link to double tractor line to Rawtenstall from Bury
By Michael Ashworth
Typical Lancashire County Council leave Rossendale out should not surprise anyone. The Rossendale valley is the end of the line in Lancashire as far as the LCC is concerned, when most of the infrastructure is already in place is a no brainer! They all talk about global warming issues but when it comes to an opportunity to make a difference LCC chooses to improve Preston and Blackpool railway stations! Talk about missed opportunities.
By Susan Shellard