The 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.
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. A 2007 study by JMP Consultants was commissioned 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.
The proposal to reinstate the line is considered in the Draft Lancashire and Cumbria Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) from Network Rail. The RUS contains a number of statements recognising the potential value of services which could be run on the reinstated line and calls for the alignment to be protected.
Network Rail has, however, stated that it will not be able to fund the construction work which in 2008 was stated to cost £43 million for a single-track line or £81 million for a double-track line, even though it supports the plans. SELRAP are hoping to raise money from other sources, including the Regional Growth Fund.
The trackbed is protected for transport use under the planning policies of Craven District Council, and the Pendle Local Plan, the Joint Lancashire Structure Plan and Lancashire County Council LTP2.
Read more about this topic: Skipton-East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership