Proposed Rail Link Could End Golborne’s 60-Year Service Gap

A £32 million train station project has seen its plans submitted, aiming to link a town to the rail network for the first time in over six decades. These proposals, concerning a station in Golborne, Wigan – an area currently lacking train or tram connections to Manchester – are projected to cut travel times to the city centre by as much as 30 minutes. Should the plans gain approval, construction is anticipated to commence in 2026, with the new facility slated for opening in 2027. Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, stated that the station represents more than merely a “transformative step for the local community”. He further noted that achieving this stage for the proposals required a “huge effort” and expressed gratitude to the residents who contributed to shaping the plans. The adjacent town of Leigh holds the distinction of being England’s largest town without a railway station, and the broader region, encompassing Lowton, constitutes the most extensive and densely populated part of Greater Manchester lacking a connection to the rail network. The submitted proposal details an accessible railway station featuring two platforms, complete with a footbridge spanning the tracks and elevators providing access to both platforms. It also includes a new hourly rail service operating between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, continuing to Stalybridge. Additionally, the plans encompass an upgraded town centre car park and fresh pedestrian and cycling routes connecting to the town centre. Jo Platt, the Member of Parliament for Leigh and Atherton, commented: “It will better connect the local community to jobs, education and leisure activities, and is a major step towards making Golborne an even greater place to live and work.” Funding for the station’s construction is planned to come from locally devolved government sources.