Town could get station after 60 years without one

If the plans are approved, work on site should begin in 2026

Plans have been submitted to build a £32m train station in the hopes to connect a town to a rail network for the first time in more than 60 years.

The proposals for a station in Golborne, Wigan, which has no train or tram services to Manchester, would mean journey times to the city centre would reduce by up to 30 minutes.

If the plans are approved, work on site should begin in 2026 with the new station scheduled to open in 2027.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said the station would be more than a "transformative step for the local community".

He said it had taken a "huge effort" for the proposals to reach this point and thanked residents who had helped shape the plans.

Nearby Leigh is the biggest town in England without a rail station, while the wider area, including Lowton, is the largest and most populous area in Greater Manchester not connected to the rail network.

The proposal includes a new accessible two-platform rail station with a footbridge across the tracks and lifts to both platforms, a new hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria and onwards to Stalybridge, an improved town centre car park and new walking and cycling links to the town centre.

Jo Platt, MP for Leigh and Atherton, said: “It will better connect the local community to jobs, education and leisure activities, and is a major step towards making Golborne an even greater place to live and work.”

The station would be delivered through locally devolved government funding.