Case made for Greater Manchester's first new train station in 25 years

The station is planned to offer Golborne a direct link to Manchester city centre

A £32m business case has been submitted to build the first new railway station in Greater Manchester in 25 years.

Plans to connect the town of Golborne to the rail network have been put to the government by Wigan Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

It came after residents had campaigned for a station to offer a direct connection to Manchester city centre.

Wigan council leader, David Molyneux, said the plans had "overwhelming public support" after a recent consultation.

The proposed station would be on the West Coast Main Line, five miles south of Wigan North Western station and one mile north of Golborne Junction - near to the site of the previous Golborne Station.

Golborne has no direct bus, train or tram services to Manchester, with the proposed train services set to reduce journey times into Manchester city centre by up to 30 minutes.

'Landmark moment'

It is part of a wider plan by local authorities to integrate local rail into the Bee Network, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's plan for a joined-up public transport system.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said submitting the business case to central government was a "landmark moment".

He said there was strong support in the public consultation, to which 3,000 people responded.

"We're aware that some residents will be more directly impacted by the plans, and we'll continue to work closely with them to address their concerns."

James Grundy, the Conservative MP for Leigh, said he was giving his "strongest possible backing" for the plan, after the town's original railway station fully closed in 1967.

"Local residents have been running a campaign to restore rail passenger services to Golborne for 63 years and as someone who knows local people very well, I know exactly how strongly the community of Golborne feels about getting their station back."

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