May start for Burnley to Manchester direct rail link

And passengers will be able to make the return journey for just £9.80 it was revealed this week.

Initial estimates are that the journey will take 53 minutes reducing to 45 minutes in the future.

The news was revealed at Tuesday’s Burnley Bondholders meeting by Burnley Council’s acting chief executive Mick Cartledge. The service, which will take passengers from Burnley Manchester Road Station to Manchester Victoria Station was scheduled to open almost 12 months ago, but a series of setbacks involving rolling stock and signal work, led to the delay.

Burnley business leaders are looking to the link to increase trade between the two areas and open up new business channels in the borough.