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Monday 7 Apr 2014

Rose Grove to Colne line reopens after upgrade and investment

Region & Route:

The line between Rose Grove and Colne has reopened after improvement work was carried out to provide a better railway for passengers.

Network Rail invested nearly £2m to renew a 1.5 mile section of track between Rose Grove and Brierfield and improve a 2.3 mile section between Brierfield and Colne.

As well as the track improvements, further work was carried out Colne, Nelson, Brierfield, Burnley Central and Burnley Barracks stations. Lineside litter and graffiti was removed from along the line, improvements were made to level crossings and vegetation management work took place.

Ian Joslin, area director for Network Rail, said: “This investment has allowed us to provide an improved, safer and more reliable railway between Rose Grove and Colne.

“We worked closely with Northern to plan the upgrades and keep disruption to passengers to the shortest amount of time possible. I would like to thank everyone affected for their patience while we carried out this work.”

Alex Hynes, managing director for Northern Rail, said: “As we enter another 22 months of running train services across the north, this valuable investment from Network Rail is a fantastic addition to a line of route which serves some of our most thriving Lancastrian communities. Investment now means less disruption, more reliability and a quieter and smoother journey for our customers.”

The improvements will significantly reduce the need for maintenance and future disruption to passengers and are part of Network Rail’s commitment to provide a safe, reliable and efficient railway.