A NEW rail station at Golborne is a priority along with getting Leigh back on track, Transport Minister Mr John Spellar was told this week in the House of Commons.

Leigh MP Andy Burnham has called on Government ministers to help speed-up plans for a new station at Golborne and stressed the need for improved public transport in Leigh which he believes should eventually be connected to Greater Manchester's Metrolink system.

He asked the Minister what measures he was taking to improve local transport services in deprived areas and asked if he was aware that: "Leigh has the dubious honour of being the largest town in the country not to have a rail station?"

He asked Mr Spellar whether he agreed that the long-term solution was to bring the Metrolink service to Leigh, but in the meantime, requested urgent consideration be given to the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority proposal for a rail station at Golborne.

Rail link

Mr Burnham believes a station would help regenerate "a deprived former pit village" and make sense by bringing a rail link close to the M6 and East Lancashire Road interchange and Haydock Park.

In reply Mr Spellar said he visited the area in summer and looked at a number of schemes. He said further discussions between the Government and Greater Manchester PTA would be held to benefit public transport users in the Leigh area as part of an overall plan to remedy what he termed: "very serious deficiencies and under-investment that we inherited".

Greater Manchester PTA has included a new station at Golborne in its long-term public transport plan and Mr Burnham is to meet with Authority chairman Cllr Roger Jones along with Golborne's Wigan MBC representatives Cllrs Tom Sherratt, Brian Strett and David Kelly to discuss the way forward.

This week Mr Burnham told the Journal his ultimate aim was to see Metrolink extended to Leigh but felt the proposed guided busway was a first step in ensuring such a link line came to fruition.