A NEW rail timetable should be good news for East Lancashire commuters to and from Manchester.

The new timetable will come into effect from next May and generally means that commuters can get an earlier start if they work in the city.

Although the total number of trains operating between Clitheroe and Blackburn and Manchester will not be affected, the changes also mean faster times in the morning peak period.

This is because stops between Bolton and Salford Crescent will be removed, saving six minutes on the journey time.

The proposed timetable means an earlier first commuter train from Blackburn to Manchester, starting at 6.31am instead of 6.48am.

However, the timetable puts the first train from Clitheroe to Manchester back from 6.55am to 7.10am.

At off-peak times (after 10am) Manchester trains will generally leave Clitheroe and Blackburn 20 minutes earlier than at present.

Currently, many off-peak trains leave Clitheroe for Manchester Victoria at two minutes to the hour and this will be changed to 38 minutes past. Trains which currently leave Manchester at 20 past the hour will leave on the hour instead.

The changes will also mean an improved evening peak service from Blackburn to Clith- eroe, with a service at 5.50pm as well as 5.20pm.

Both these services will have connections from Blackpool and Preston and North Western Trains will be asked to improve connections from Clitheroe to Blackpool and Preston when planning the new timetable.

The changes were being discussed today by Lancashire County Council's public transport sub-committee.

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