Burnley’s Rose Grove Station Improvements
Work is underway to make Burnley's Rose Grove railway station more comfortable, convenient, and secure for passengers before the direct Blackburn to Manchester via Burnley service begins on Sunday 17 May, 2015.
The £160,000 revamp includes a new waiting shelter and seating, a screen showing 'real-time' train times, a ticket vending machine, and improved signs and information.
Security will also be boosted with CCTV cameras, a passenger-operated help point, and the removal of large trees on the platform to create a more open environment.
Work started on Monday 20 April and is expected to take three weeks, ready for the start of the direct Burnley to Manchester service which will begin on Sunday 17 May thanks to the newly restored Todmorden Curve.
The project, part of the £250M Growth Deal secured from Government by the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP), is able to start on site thanks to upfront funding from Lancashire County Council.
The Rose Grove station revamp is one element of a package of measures to boost transport connectivity along the Burnley-Pendle Growth Corridor, which will also target improvements to junctions on the M65 and see vital maintenance to the Centenary Way flyover. These improvements, to which Burnley Borough Council will also contribute funding, will help to open up additional capacity for growth and enable faster movement of people, goods, and services.
Edwin Booth, chair of the LEP, said: "Footfall at Rose Grove station is predicted to double to nearly 100,000 passengers a year following the introduction of the regular direct service to Manchester.
"This investment to improve facilities will encourage people to use the new service and ensure that passengers have a good experience.
"The board is currently developing a separate scheme to provide a car park and bus interchange for the station to further improve connections and convenience for everyone who uses Rose Grove.
"This is an exciting time for Burnley and we're really looking forward to the start of the direct service to Manchester and the benefits to the economy and opportunities for people that will result."
Kate Ingram, head of regeneration and planning policy at Burnley Council, said: "These improvements are part of a wider transformational programme of schemes to improve transport links around the borough.
"Rosegrove station will become busier once direct rail services to Manchester start next month and it’s important that it delivers what passengers need.
"Burnley Council has been working with Lancashire County Council and the LEP over the past 18 months to secure additional funding for key transport priorities in the area, including Rosegrove station. This work will complement the recently completed regeneration of the next station along the line at Manchester Road.
"All these schemes show the positive effect of partnership working to benefit not just the people of Burnley, but also to attract businesses, investment, new jobs and visitors to our borough."
Alex Hynes, managing director of Northern Rail said he was delighted to see the improvements getting off the ground: "Bringing better services, improved stations and a positive experience is key to keeping our customers happy. The investment at Rose Grove station is just the start. From 17 May, customers here will benefit from a direct service to Manchester; opening up a wealth of opportunities to the local community."
Notes for Editors: The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership has secured £251.1 million from the Government's Local Growth Fund to support economic growth in the area through the Growth Deal. The Lancashire Growth Deal aims to realise the growth potential of the whole of Lancashire, building on key local economic assets including the universities and colleges, the Enterprise Zone, the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal and high-value business clusters across the county. Over the lifetime of the deal (2015–2021) the Growth Deal is expected to create up to 8,000 new jobs, 3,000 new homes and attract £280m of additional public and private investment to Lancashire.
For further information please contact: Mike Warren on 01772 533537
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