Skipton–East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership

Last updated

Skipton East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership
Formation2001
TypeVoluntary organisation
Membership
519 members and 51 affiliated groups (as of August 2018)
Chairman
Peter Bryson

The Skipton East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership (SELRAP) is a campaign that is looking to reopen the Skipton to Colne railway line, as part of connecting the Lancashire town of Colne to the North Yorkshire town of Skipton. The line between them had been closed in 1970.

Contents

History of the Skipton–Colne line

Reinstatement proposal
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Airedale line
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 Skipton
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Leeds–Morecambe line
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West Craven Parkway
(proposed)
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 Colne
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East Lancashire line

The line between Skipton and Colne was opened in October 1848, as part of the Leeds and Bradford Railway's Shipley to Colne extension and at a cost of £67,000 (equivalent to £8,500,000in 2023). [1] With the East Lancashire Railway reaching Colne from Burnley in February 1849, and the completion of the Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway in April 1849, a through route from Leeds to Liverpool was then established. Stations between Skipton and Colne were built at Elslack, Thornton-in-Craven, Earby and Foulridge. A branch from Earby to Barnoldswick was opened in 1871.

The Skipton–Colne line was not recommended for closure in Dr Beeching's 1963 The Reshaping of British Railways report; however the line closed in February 1970, with the Barnoldswick branch having earlier closed in September 1965.

The 11.5 mile missing line between Skipton and Colne; the map also shows other railway lines in the area Skipton Colne Rail Missing Link Map SELRAP.jpg
The 11.5 mile missing line between Skipton and Colne; the map also shows other railway lines in the area

The missing section of railway between Skipton and Colne is 11.5 miles (18.5 km) in length. [2]

The remaining East Lancashire line serves a conurbation of some half a million people. It is relatively under-utilised and it is under-developed from an engineering perspective. [3] Colne is currently served by one train per hour, which traverses the 50-mile (80 km) East Lancashire Line from Blackpool South via Preston, Blackburn and Burnley Central; there are many station stops at intermediate towns, with a total journey time in excess of 100 minutes. The route is affected by numerous permanent speed restrictions, particularly at junctions. Northern Trains operates services using Class 150 diesel multiple units. [4]

Skipton is a stop on the Airedale line and is served by frequent electric trains which serve Leeds every 30 minutes, with a journey time of around 40 minutes, and Bradford Forster Square every 30 minutes, with a journey time of around 35 minutes. These services are operated by Northern, using a mixture of Classes 331 and 333 electric multiple units. Northern also operates services through the town from Leeds to Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham Port on the Bentham line; trains to Carlisle run on the Settle–Carlisle line. [4] Skipton also has a daily direct return service to London Kings Cross operated by London North Eastern Railway (06.55 from Skipton, 18.03 from London). [5]

Reinstatement proposal

Reinstatement of Colne–Skipton would provide scope for both local and regional rail services. SELRAP say the line will deliver a number of benefits to local communities, the Northwest and the UK as a whole. SELRAP's proposals include opening at least one station between Skipton and Colne. The number and precise location(s) will depend on the viability study required. Whilst SELRAP are in favour of only one intermediate station (West Craven Parkway) in the interim, the Campaign for Better Transport are also wanting to see Earby railway station re-opened too. [6] [7] [8]

A 2003 study commissioned by Lancashire and North Yorkshire County Councils from consultants Steer Davies Gleave found that the formation was largely intact and there were no insurmountable obstacles to reinstatement of the line. [9] In 2007 SELRAP commissioned a study by JMP Consultants to further assess the business case. This appraisal showed that a positive benefit cost ratio would be achieved for a single track option under most growth and cost scenarios. A double track railway achieves a positive benefit cost ratio if recent trends of accelerating demand growth are assumed to continue. [10]

Craven District Council and Pendle Borough Council are the two planning authorities within which the track-bed lies. Craven District Council protects the track-bed for transport use under planning policy SP2. [11] Pendle Local Plan also protects the track-bed under policy ENV4. [12]

At the county level, the Lancashire LEP board "Noted the robust and compelling case that the independent study by Cushman & Wakefield makes for enhanced East-West connectivity to realise the full economic potential of the Central Trans-Pennine Corridor and its role in delivering the long-term growth ambitions of the wider Northern Powerhouse". [13] Though not affected to the same degree, re-instatement is supported in North Yorkshire Local Transport Plan (LTP4) 2016 to 2045, [14] and by West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) from Network Rail gave way to the Long Term Planning Process (LTPP) which in turn is being replaced in the north of England by the Strategic Transport Plan (STP) from Transport for the North. The section of the STP [15] that applies is the Central Pennine Corridor.

On 3 February 2018, the Transport Secretary announced a feasibility study into reopening the route to passengers once again as part of the Government's plan to invite proposals to reopen many lines closed under British Rail. The study will be commissioned by Transport for the North and Network Rail [16] and conclude later in 2018. The announcement was made at Colne station and covered in the press. [17] [18]

Chris Grayling announced in January 2019 that the initial study declared the project "technically feasible". The next step was to prove the worthiness of the re-opening by the commissioning of a business case which would look at the prospect of freight services on the line making the project "commercially feasible". [19]

This line has been identified by Campaign for a Better Transport as a priority 1 candidate for reopening, [20] with support also being voiced by local and regional businesses. David Cutter, the chief executive of Skipton Building Society, said that reopening of the line would improve connectivity between East Lancashire and North and West Yorkshire. It is estimated that over 1,600 personnel who work at Skipton Building Society's headquarters in Skipton have a Lancashire postcode. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craven District</span> Former local government district in North Yorkshire, England

Craven was a non-metropolitan district in the west of North Yorkshire, centred on the market town of Skipton. The name Craven is much older than the modern district and encompassed a larger area. This history is also reflected in the way the term is still commonly used, such as by the Church of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnoldswick</span> Town and civil parish in Lancashire, England

Barnoldswick is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle, Lancashire, England. It lies within the boundaries of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire. It is situated 30 miles (48 km) from Leeds; nearby towns include Skipton to the east, Clitheroe to the west, Burnley to the south and Keighley to the east-south-east. The civil parish has a population of 10,752.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colne</span> Human settlement in England

Colne is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England. The town is 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Nelson, 6 miles (10 km) northeast of Burnley and 25 mi (40 km) east of Preston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calder Valley line</span> Railway line in England

The Calder Valley line is a railway route in Northern England between the cities of Leeds and Manchester as well as the seaside resort of Blackpool. It is the slower of the two main rail routes between Leeds and Manchester, and the northernmost of the three main trans-Pennine routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colne railway station</span> Railway station in Lancashire, England

Colne railway station serves the town of Colne, in Lancashire, England, which is situated close to Pendle Hill. The station, which is managed by Northern, is the eastern terminus of the East Lancashire Line. Trains from Blackpool South run through Preston and Blackburn to Burnley and Colne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foulridge</span> Village in Lancashire, England

Foulridge is a village and civil parish in Pendle, Lancashire, close to the border with North Yorkshire in England. It is situated just beyond Colne, on the route from the M65 to Skipton, and is an important stopping point on summit pound of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, just before it enters the Foulridge Tunnel. Noyna Hill, a well known local landmark, sits 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earby</span> Town and civil parish in Lancashire, England

Earby is a town and civil parish within the Borough of Pendle, Lancashire, England. Although within the boundaries of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire, Earby has been administered by Lancashire County Council since 1974 and regularly celebrates its Yorkshire roots. It is 5 miles (8 km) north of Colne, 7 miles (11.3 km) south-west of Skipton, and 11 miles (17.7 km) north-east of Burnley. The parish had a population of 4,538 recorded in the 2011 census,

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steeton and Silsden railway station</span> Railway station in West Yorkshire, England

Steeton and Silsden railway station serves the village of Steeton and the town of Silsden in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated closer to Steeton than to Silsden, and is on the Airedale Line. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Northern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skipton railway station</span> Railway station in North Yorkshire, England

Skipton railway station is a Grade II listed station which serves the market town of Skipton in North Yorkshire, England. It is a stop on the Airedale Line, which provides access to destinations such as Leeds, Bradford, Carlisle, Lancaster and Morecambe. The station is operated by Northern Trains and is situated 27 miles (43 km) north-west of Leeds; it is located on Broughton Road.

The Leeds and Bradford Railway Company (L&BR) opened a railway line between the towns on 1 July 1846. It extended its line from Shipley through Keighley to Skipton and Colne, in 1847 and 1848.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thornton in Craven</span> Village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England

Thornton-in-Craven is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is approx 1,740 feet (530 m) from the border with Lancashire and 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Earby. Barnoldswick is nearby. The Pennine Way passes through the village, as does the A56 road. The village has a church, a primary school and a retirement home, but no shops or pubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnoldswick railway station</span> Disused railway station in Lancashire, England

Barnoldswick was the only railway station on the Midland Railway's 1-mile-64-chain (2.9 km) long Barnoldswick Branch in the West Riding of Yorkshire in England ; it served the market town of Barnoldswick. The line left the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway at Barnoldswick Junction 55 chains from Earby. The line through the junction was on a 20-chain radius after which it converged to a single track and ran in a straight but undulating line to Barnoldswick. The passenger train that ran back and forth between Barnoldswick and Earby was known locally as the Barlick Spud or Spudroaster. The real reason for the name is lost in time, but the two versions that were commonly recited are that the original branch locomotive was so small it looked like a portable potato roaster used by a local vendor or that the journey time was the same as that taken to roast a potato in the locomotive's firebox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salterforth</span> Human settlement in England

Salterforth is a village and civil parish within the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England. The population of the Civil Parish at the 2011 census was 637. It lies on the B6383 road that connects Barnoldswick to the A56 road at Kelbrook. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal cuts through the village and there are several narrowboat moorings at Salterforth. The canal footpath provides a picturesque walk to Barnoldswick or to Foulridge in the opposite direction. The village also has a canal side pub, The Anchor Inn along with a lovely children's play area.

West Craven is an area in the east of Lancashire, England in the far northern part of the borough of Pendle. Historically the area was within the ancient county boundaries of Yorkshire and was administered as part of the Skipton Rural District of the West Riding of Yorkshire until 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earby railway station</span> Disused railway station in Lancashire, England

Earby was a junction railway station that served the town of Earby, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England; since 1974, the town lies within the boundaries of the administrative county of Lancashire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thornton-in-Craven railway station</span> Disused railway station in North Yorkshire, England

Thornton-in-Craven railway station served the small village of Thornton-in-Craven in North Yorkshire, England. It was a stop on the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway between Colne, Skipton and Bradford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skipton bus station</span> Bus station in Skipton, North Yorkshire, England

Skipton bus station serves the town of Skipton, North Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the town centre, just off Keighley Road, and has eight stands. The main bus operators are Transdev Blazefield, Burnley Bus Company, Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire and Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire. Services that are not sustainable on a commercial level are provided by North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) minibuses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Stephenson</span> British politician (born 1981)

Andrew George Stephenson FRSA is a former British politician who most recently served as Minister of State for Health and Secondary Care from November 2023 to July 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pendle in Lancashire from 2010 until 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aire Gap</span> Geological feature in England

Aire Gap is a pass through the Pennines in England formed by geologic faults and carved out by glaciers. The term is used to describe a geological division, a travel route, or a location that is an entry into the Aire river valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Pendle</span> Borough in England

Pendle is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. The council is based in Nelson, the borough's largest town. The borough also includes the towns of Barnoldswick, Brierfield, Colne and Earby along with the surrounding villages and rural areas. Part of the borough lies within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

References

  1. ↑ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth . Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  2. ↑ Broadbent, Steve (23 May 2018). "SELRAP's five-year reopening dream". Rail Magazine. No. 853. Peterborough: Bauer Media. p. 42. ISSN   0953-4563.
  3. ↑ "Lancashire County Council brochure" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Timetables and engineering information for travel with Northern". Northern Railway. 2 June 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  5. ↑ "Our timetables". London North Eastern Railway. 2 June 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  6. ↑ "Re-opening rail lines". bettertransport.org.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Haigh, Phillip (27 February 2019). "Rail reopenings: where is the money coming from?". Rail Magazine. No. 873. Peterborough: Bauer Media. p. 34. ISSN   0953-4563.
  8. ↑ Pickering, Graeme (June 2018). "Re-building a missing cross-Pennine link". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 164, no. 1, 407. Horncastle: Mortons Media. pp. 52–53. ISSN   0033-8923.
  9. ↑ "Skipton–Colne Railway Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  10. ↑ "Re-Opening Of The Skipton to Colne Railway". Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  11. ↑ "Craven District Council" . Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "Pendle Core strategy (2015)". Craven District Council. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  13. ↑ "Adoption of Cushman and Wakefield Report March 2017". Lancashire County Council. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  14. ↑ "North Yorkshire Local Transport Plan 2016–2045" (PDF). North Yorkshire County Council. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  15. ↑ "Strategic Transport Plan draft for public consultation Jan 2018". Transport for the North. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  16. ↑ "Feasibility study to investigate the possibility of reopening Skipton-Colne rail link". Transport for the North website. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  17. ↑ "Transport Secretary to announce study into re-opening of historic railway line between Skipton and Lancashire". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  18. ↑ "Transport Secretary announces major new study into reopening Skipton-Colne rail line". Craven Herald. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  19. ↑ "Re-opening of Skipton-Colne rail link moves a step closer". Craven Herald. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  20. ↑ "The case for expanding the rail network" (PDF). Campaign for Better Transport. p. 34. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  21. ↑ Mulla, Ismail (1 August 2019). "Skipton mutual wants rail line to be reopened". The Yorkshire Post. Business. p. 3. ISSN   0963-1496.
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