Out-of-date trains to be scrapped

Thirty-year-old trains which run through Pendle are heading for the end of the line.

The Government has said it wants to scrap the Pacer trains on railways in the region but replace them. They were built in the 1980s and only intended for short-term use.

The Pacers are run on the Colne to Blackpool line by Northern Rail.

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Now Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, has said: “Pacers have had their day – they 
are not suitable for modern commuting.”

Lancashire County Council has welcomed the announcement that new franchises 
for rail services across the north will see significant investment, resulting in better connections, faster journeys and more room for passengers on peak-time trains.

County Coun. John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “I warmly welcome the publication of the Invitation to Tender documents for the Northern and TransPennine franchises.

“The county council has worked hard in partnership with councils right across the region through Rail North and the D for T to develop an investment-led specification that should deliver 
significantly improved train services over the period of the new franchises.

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“For Lancashire, this should mean investment in new and refurbished rolling stock, better train services that take advantage of the investment in the Northern Hub and associated electrification schemes, improved facilities