A COMMUNITY has expressed its hopes that a once popular railway station could be put back on the rail map should a massive regeneration bid be successful.

At a ward meeting residents from Lower Darwen said they would like to see their station re-opened so that the area can be better served by public transport.

The district’s station was closed and subsequently demolished in 1958, ahead of the 1963 Beeching report.

Resident, Alan Rogerson, who has lived in the area for several decades, put out a call to find other people who had been thinking about starting a pressure group around the issue.

He said: “It would be brilliant if they could re-build it and put it to use as it would better serve our community and encourage greater use of public transport which would cut congestion, both in residential areas here and around Ewood during match days.

“We would be interested to hear from other people who feel the same about this issue.”

Aidan Turner-Bishop, organiser of Better Transport Lancashire, said: “We would like to see as many stations opened as can safely fit on the line. This, plus the establishment of a regular service through East Lancashire will help to get as many people off the roads as possible, however we understand current budgetary constraints may put plans like this on hold.”

The line from Blackburn to Bolton which passes through the area is the subject of a £620,000 bid by local authorities and Network Rail, seeking to enable half hourly trains to pass through the area. But plans to build additional stations could take several years.

MP for Darwen and Rossendale Jake Berry said: “It would be fantastic to reopen Lower Darwen, however we must be realistic that this would very much be a long term goal.”