EAST Lancashire's MPs have vowed to fight for better train services for local commuters after the Government confirmed it would take over the running of the rail network.

The Queen's Speech confirmed last week that the Strategic Rail Authority, set up four years ago to control funds and franchises within the rail industry, would be scrapped and power handed back to the Department for Transport.

Rail user groups and MPs feel East Lancashire has been a massive loser under the SRA's reign, even though its now departed chief executive Richard Bowker is from this area and claims to use the rail network to get to Ewood Park.

Under the SRA, East Lancashire's only express service - the Blackpool-York service via Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley - has been removed from the Transpennine fast service franchise and put in the Northern local service franchise.

That means commuters on that service will miss out on £100 million of new trains being proposed by the new operator of the Transpennine franchise.

The SRA also signed a new company for the Northern franchise, but did not include a commitment for any new trains - making the prospect of another decade with aging Railbus Pacer trains in East Lancashire a real possibility.

And they also halted funding for a number of improvement schemes, such as one for security on the Clitheroe to Manchester line.

MPs hope they will be able to influence decisions on the railways more now it is back in the hands of the Government, and transport secretary Alistair Darling.

Hyndburn's Greg Pope said: "I had a visit from Rail Minister Tony McNulty last week to discuss these very issues. I shall be lobbying him and Mr Darling very hard for improvements to the East Lancashire Line and other routes in the area.

"Now government has taken control of the network, I expect to see results and major improvements."

His Burnley Labour colleague Peter Pike said: "I certainly want to see improvements to rail services in the area, particularly the one through Burnley Manchester Road to Yorkshire.

"We must improve the services between Burnley and Manchester which are appalling.

"We need also to improve the service to Colne and there has been talk about doing something about the Todmorden Curve.

"I lobbied the Strategic Rail Authority on this but now that is going and Mr Darling is taking control I shall step up the pressure on ministers for action."