THE first passengers have gone through the doors of Burnley’s new Manchester Road station – after four months of delays on the final finishing touches.

Work on the £2.3 million project had appeared virtually complete since late June or early July but additional upgrades to the lighting were apparently required.

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Before it opened to passengers, the fenced-off building had already played host to an international exchange programme between Burnley youngsters and their counterparts in France and the Netherlands.

Borough council leader Coun Mark Townsend said: “I’m sure train passengers using Manchester Road will be delighted with the new station building.

“Improving Burnley’s transport links is vital to our borough’s future prosperity and this is a key step in achieving that. With the direct rail service to Manchester coming next spring this station is only to get busier and busier.

“First impressions are important and it’s great that anyone using Manchester Road station will be greeted by a modern, eye-catching building that reflects our drive to create a transformed town that is going places.”

The Lancashire Telegraph revealed last week that long-awaited work on signals at the restored Todmorden Curve, for the Manchester-bound line, will eventually be completed by engineers between now and February.

County councillor John Fillis, the county council’s transport cabinet member, said: “The new Manchester Road station provides modern, spacious facilities which signal a more prosperous time for Burnley.”