Skelmersdale railway station on the agenda but councillors can't agree plan to approach government
A call for West Lancashire Borough Council to write directly to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other top government levelling-up and transport ministers, urging them to commit to a new Skelmersdale railway station, has been withdrawn amid differences between borough political groups.
, when the situation was due to be debated in a Labour group motion and two amendments from opposition groups. “However, opposition councillors proposed to abandon the council’s long-standing support for a station in the heart of Skelmersdale, through amendments, and gave no backing to retaining the Glenburn land for a station,” he claimed,
His amendment had stated: “This council notes the recent decision of the Department for Transport to reject the latest bid for infrastructure funding. We further note the long-term cross-party support for this project alongside Lancashire County Council and the West Lancashire MP, Rosie Cooper. We also note that councillors have yet to receive a copy of the Department for Transport response to the Strategic Outline Business Case.
The Conservative amendment stated: “This council is naturally disappointed with the government’s decision to reject the business case for a new rail link for Skelmersdale, linking with both Liverpool and Manchester, that would have opened-up a world of opportunities for Skelmersdale residents to access wider education, training, employment and social opportunities as well as attracting inward investment to the town.
The Conservative amendment added: “The business case was for a new rail infrastructure and a new station in the heart of the town, connected to the existing Kirkby-Wigan line. In their feedback to the submission, the government suggested other options focussing on the existing Kirkby–Wigan rail line could improve connections to the town. These options would require less infrastructure work at a lower cost.
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