A TRAFFIC-FREE route to link towns and villages across the north of Pendle could soon be launched.

Pendle Council and Lancashire County Council are investigating the creation of a new route for walkers and cyclists to link Earby, Kelbrook, Salterforth and Barnoldswick.

Where possible the route would use the old Skipton to Colne railway line and would generally follow the path of the old Barnoldswick branch line, though some of this has been developed since its closure.

The proposal has been welcomed by SELRAP, the Skipton-East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership, which fights to preserve the track bed and has campaigned for it to be used in this way. The councils have already begun talks with landowners and more than 6,000 leaflets are to be distributed in the four affected areas with questionnaires to canvass residents views.

Four drop-in sessions will be held next week for local people to view map of possible routes and voice their opinions as well as telling the councils how they would like to use it.

SELRAP chairman Steve Broadbent said: "The first aim of SELRAP is to see that the track bed is protected against development until it can be re-opened and in the meantime we would like to see it used for walking, cycling and horse riding.

"It will be at least seven years before the railway could be re-opened so let's not let this valuable greenway go to waste in the meantime and use it for the benefit of local people.

"We very much welcome this sort of initiative and hope that, with goodwill, it could even be extended to Colne and to the county boundary."

The drop-in sessions will be held at: New Road Community Centre, Earby, from 12.30pm to 7pm on June 7; the Baptist Church, Salterforth, from 2pm to 7pm on June 8; Kelbrook Village Hall from 2pm to 7pm on June 9; Barnoldswick Civic Centre from 2pm to 7pm on June 10.