High-speed rail service that will go through Eccles gains supports

A high-speed rail service that will go through Eccles connecting the Northwest has secured heavyweight support.

The high speed railway service that will run from Rochdale to London for the first time in 25 years. 

The service that will go through Eccles will aim to boost and growth in local jobs across the high-speed railway line.

The plan will create at least 124 direct jobs along the route and aim to encourage more people to study in the region.

The all-electric Lumo service will cut more than two hours off current journey times by car and will be the first direct services from Rochdale to the capital in 25 years.

The high speed railway will plan to run six return trains a day between Rochdale, Manchester Victoria, Eccles, Newton-le-Willows and Warrington Bank Quay to London Euston from 2027. 

The service will aim to provide 1.6 million more people in Greater Manchester with a direct link to London Euston. 

Today (December 13) MPs, local council leaders, businesses and academic, gathered in Manchester to show their support for a new high-speed rail service.

Those gathered included Mark Wantling, Chief Infrastructure Officer, University of Salford, who said: “The University of Salford boasts over 26,000 students and 3,000 staff, with world-class facilities to prepare the next generation of talent for life.

“Our growing student numbers and campus expansion plans mean that an efficient transport network is crucial to our connectivity.” 

He continued: “Lumo’s application to run six daily services between Eccles and the Capital will give our students and employees greater regional and inter-city connections.

“With a growing international student-base, it also has potential to attract more people to the University with international rail connections in London.”

Lumo has applied to the rail regulator to launch its services in 2027, with the all-electric service already having existing service between Edinburgh, Newcastle and London.