IT IS particularly galling that, amid wholesale collapse of the country's rail network that brings home just how great has been the neglect of this key component of the nation's transport system, East Lancashire now faces losing a vital express service.

And it would be much more than another dose of rail misery if the Transpennine Express is axed or slowed down to a 'stopping' service across the region.

Certainly, it would, at a stroke, seriously inconvenience the thousands of people who at present travel on the key east-west hourly commuter route that links York and Scarborough and Preston and Blackpool via Leeds, Bradford, Halifax and East Lancashire's major towns.

But, worse, the loss or downgrading of the service -- now threatened as it looks like being left off a new franchise being offered to rail companies -- would gravely injure East Lancashire's economy and its regeneration efforts.

Surely, if, even amid the current railway chaos, the goal of an integrated transport system in this country is still to be pursued and the economic and environmental benefits are to be realised, then there should be none of the dangerous interference with services that the franchise-awarding shadow Strategic Rail Authority might bring to the Transpennine Express route.

For, immediately, it would set back Blackburn's hopes to boost office development. How could companies be attracted to the town if their staff could not get to work?

The loss of the express service would tremendously increase the number of car journeys on East Lancashire's overcrowded roads, adding to its congestion and pollution problems.

And where would the £8million revamp of Blackburn's railway station fit into the reduction of rail services?

The present appalling state of the railways should ram home the lesson that the rundown rail has got to stop -- and that our region and travellers must not suffer from any tampering with the vital Transpennine Express.