Views sought on Golborne station reopening 

The scheme would address one of Greater Manchester’s public transport blackspots and reduce journey times from the Wigan town into Manchester city centre by up to 30 minutes. 

Transport for Greater Manchester, with Wigan Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has today launched a public consultation seeking views on a new railway station that will run until mid-February. 

Golborne currently has no direct bus, train or tram services to Manchester. It previously had a train station, but it closed in the 1960s following the Beeching report. 

The new station would be located on the site of the old one, off Railway Road. 

If the scheme goes ahead, the station would be served by an hourly service between Wigan and Stalybridge via Manchester Victoria, subject to government approval. 

The project would be the city region’s first new railway station in more than 20 years, the last being Horwich Parkway. 

Have your say on the proposals 

TfGM’s head of rail Simon Elliott said: “Greater Manchester’s exciting plans for Golborne station would vastly improve public transport connectivity for people in Golborne, Lowton and Leigh, as well as the broader borough of Wigan, bringing significant economic and environmental benefits. 

“It also represents a crucial step forward in developing the Bee Network and realising our ambitions for local rail to form part of Greater Manchester’s integrated public transport system by 2030.”

To learn more about how the North West’s transport systems are evolving, attend Place North West’s Transport + Infrastructure Update in Manchester on 25 January.