COMMUTERS who will ultimately make or break the new faster service from East Lancashire to Manchester have finally got their chance to see what all the fuss is about.

Early risers on Sunday made history when the first train from Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley Manchester Road stations set off over the reinstated 500 yards of the Todmorden Curve.

But it’s support from weekday customers, bound for the city or making the opposite journey, which should hold the key to the service’s future.

Rail bosses at Lancashire County Council estimate 250,000 to 300,000 people will use the line in an average year, and with the Leeds and York express trains still running, it will increase the number of trains running through East Lancashire by up to a third.

Free muffins and coffee were the order of the day for one of the inaugural batch of passengers, as a civic reception was staged at Burnley Manchester Road station to herald the first Monday service to the city in around 50 years.

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Mayor of Burnley, Cllr Andy Tatchell, in one of his last civic duties of 2014-15, said: “This is part of the bigger picture – you’ve got Burnley Bridge business park, the Michelin site, the Vision Park and the Weaver’s Triangle, which is just a short distance away.

“We’ve had the title of ‘most enterprising town in the UK’ and this is just building on Burnley’s regeneration efforts.”

And council leader Mark Townsend added: “This means Burnley is open for business. We don’t see this just as an opportunity for Burnley people to access greater economic opportunities but we can showcase what we have to offer.”

Pam Smith, chief executive of Burnley Council, said: “It is a fantastic day for Burnley, it means we are directly linked to the Manchester city region, with greatly improved employment prospects. But it also means we can welcome people to Burnley and show them the likes of Towneley Hall and park, Gawthorpe Hall and the Weavers’ Triangle.”

Revamped opening hours have also been introduced at Burnley Manchester Road to coincide with the extra traffic – where the booking office used to close at 1.15pm it is now available up to 10pm.

Ben Morton, a recruitment worker from Padiham, said: “I used to work in Leeds but we opened a new office in Manchester and I’ve been driving in for the past few weeks.

“But this morning I went to Rose Grove station, so I could make sure I got a parking space, and here we are. I’ve got friends who get the bus into Manchester but it’s only about £25 per month difference to use the train.”

Bus operator Transdev has already launched a fightback – doling out free newspapers and handing out thermal coffee mugs on the X43 Witch Way service to Manchester yesterday and reducing the price of their duo ticket from £15 to £12.

But the impetus appears to be with their train rivals for now – if the journey time is reduced from 52 minutes to 43 or 44 then the battle may become even fiercer.

A priority now be a proper covering at Burnley Manchester Road station instead of a small bus shelter for the two dozen or so rain-soaked passengers waiting on the Blackburn and Preston platform opposite.

See our picture gallery here http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/photos/2015_photos/curve/