MORE than 30 politicians have backed a £60million bid to get a stretch of railway line linking Pendle with Yorkshire re-opened.

The Skipton-East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership's (SELRAP) fight to get the 11-mile route between Colne and Skipton reinstated has been boosted after 21 MPs and 12 MEPs, some as far away as Essex and Scotland, backed the scheme.

The line was closed in 1970, but SELRAP said its replacement would not only improve cross-Pennine transport links, but bring millions of pounds into East Lancashire's economy.

Treasurer Roy St Pierre said: "The closure should never have happened. Restoration would open up so many travel opportunities, not only for the residents of Skipton and East Lancashire, but for the Yorkshire and Humberside and North West regions.

"It would improve employment and leisure options, especially for those who have no access to a car, or who would prefer not to drive."

All six of East Lancashire's MPs, and North West MEPs Chris Davies and Diana Wallis have supported SELRAP.

Other politicians backing the campaign group include Ann Cryer, Keighley; Christine McCafferty, Calder Valley which includes Todmorden; David Borrow, South Ribble; Philip Davies, Shipley; Ben Wallace, Lancaster and Wyre; Katy Clark, North Ayrshire and Arran; and Lee Scott, Ilford North.

Both Lancashire County Council and North Yorkshire Council have included the re-opening of the route in their local transport plans - which set out improvements the authorities would like to carry out in the next five years.

It is estimated a single line between Colne and Skipton would cost £30million, and building two lines between Colne and Gannow junction in Burnley, where the present track becomes one line, would cost £60million.

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice said: "There is a huge coalition of support for reinstatement of the railway line, and the cost of bringing it back would be relatively modest."

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