Lobby groups wait for transport report

The report, whch will be published later today, will lay out plans for an overhaul of transport across the north of England, including multi-billion pound rail schemes and developing new east-west road links.

Unions have described the plans as “pie in the sky nonsense” but the think tank Public Policy North has called them “very positive”.

Lancashire County Council has included the bypass in its long-term programme up to 2021, but no specific router has been agreed for it.

Earlier this month it was revealed that the Pacer trains running between Colne and Preston were to be replaced by newer, more modern ones.