A petition calling for the reopening of the railway between Colne and Skipton has been launched by the Skipton East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership

A young Trawden man is leading a petition calling for the reopening of the railway between Colne and Skipton, with MPs and councillors backing the campaign.

George Fry (20), a former Park High School pupil in Colne who has recently joined SELRAP said reopening the line would make a significant difference to young people and communities in East Lancashire.

The online petition was launched on October 10th by the Skipton East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership (SELRAP), with support from politicians and campaigners across Lancashire and Yorkshire.

It is due to be presented to Parliament next year and calls for the reinstatement of the former railway, which would reconnect Pendle with communities across the Pennines and provide a direct rail route towards Skipton and onward connections to Leeds.

George said: “For young people without a car in East Lancashire, getting to Yorkshire is a real struggle,” he said.

“For the sake of the environment, having a car should not be a necessity to make a success of our lives.

“The Colne-Skipton reopening would be transformational, not just for young people. It’s vital to kickstart growth, particularly in East Lancashire boroughs blighted by growing levels of poverty, such as Pendle.

“This petition is an important opportunity for all those who want to get Colne-Skipton back in action to make their voices heard.”

The 12-mile railway line between Colne and Skipton, which closed in 1970.

The petition was launched at Thornton Hall Country Park, close to the route of the former line and on the Lancashire-Yorkshire border.

Jonathan Hinder, MP for Pendle and Clitheroe, attended the event and backed calls for the railway to be restored.

He said: “Our cul-de-sac of a railway illustrates how neglected the North’s public transport has been for so many decades.

“Reviving our direct rail connection with Leeds via the 12-mile missing link would be transformational for our local economy.”

The petition states that reopening the route would support government economic growth plans and bring benefits for employment, education, housing, health, tourism and the environment.

The mayors of Pendle, Skipton and Hyndburn — Coun. Nadeem Ahmed, Coun. Winston Feather and Coun. Noordad Aziz — also attended the launch.

Skipton Building Society sponsored the event, with group chief executive Stuart Haire saying the organisation had long supported the campaign.

He said reopening the line would strengthen connections between Lancashire and Yorkshire, improving access to employment and encouraging investment.

Simon Brierley, chief executive of East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said the scheme was about more than restoring 12 miles of track, arguing it would reconnect businesses with larger markets and a wider workforce.

Michael Solomon Williams, of Campaign for Better Transport, said the Colne-Skipton route was one of the organisation's priority lines.

He said it could connect people with jobs and education, boost local businesses and tourism, and support more sustainable travel.