On Monday, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Pendle, Azhar Ali and Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, Andy McDonald MP, reiterated their full support for the re-opening and electrification of the Colne-Skipton line for passenger rail.

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary said:

“Re-opening the Colne to Skipton line would be a top priority for an incoming Labour government. The case has been made.”

“Labour is committed to upgrading and electrifying the East Lancashire Line from Preston through Blackburn and Burnley to Colne. We are also committed to extending the line across the Pennines to Skipton and connecting it to Leeds.”

“This is about improving the connectivity of East Lancashire which has been short-changed on transport by the Conservatives like the rest of the North."

Azhar Ali, Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Pendle and Leader of the Opposition on Lancashire County Council said:

“Reinstating and electrifying the Colne-Skipton line for passenger rail will have positive effects for all of Pendle, increasing job opportunities and growing our local economy. It’s a real commitment with real money behind it.

We don’t need endless feasibility studies or weasel words from the Tories about a Northern Powerhouse – we need a Labour government that will make investment in infrastructure a top priority, restoring our towns and villages and reversing the decade of cuts and neglect that this Conservative government have heaped upon us.”