Cumbria Council submits bid for Lake Line improvements

The Lakes Line is currently single track between Oxenholme (pictured) and Windermere stations

Improvements to a Lake District railway line could massively increase the number of services, a council has said.

Cumbria County Council has submitted a bid to the government for a "dynamic passing loop" on the line between Oxenholme and Windermere stations.

It is currently single track, meaning only one round trip per hour is possible.

A second platform at Burneside and line speed and level crossing improvements are also included in the bid.

A county council spokesman said the passing loop would run west from Burneside and would enable trains to pass each other without having to slow down.

He said the current single track set-up "limits its ability to support the visitor economy and restricts local community access via rail to health, education and other key services".

Keith Little, cabinet member for highways and transport, said it was an "exciting proposal", adding: "We believe creating a dynamic passing loop as part of a major investment in the Lakes Line would be hugely beneficial and help deliver a rural transport exemplar which better meets the needs of our residents, visitors and businesses."

The strategic outline case has been submitted for consideration as part of the Department for Transport's Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The outline case argues a package of enhancements for the Lakes Line could add up to 225,000 trips to the 550,000 taken per year along the line.