REPRESENTATIVES from four residents’ groups in Lowton have voiced their opposition to Transport for Leigh’s high speed rail interchange train station proposal.

Lowton East Neighbourhood Development Forum hosted a meeting with TfL leader Ged Tyrell in which they stated their opposition to the position of a train station next to the A580, as proposed by the campaign group.

The community group believes that, although congestion – especially at Lane Head – is a major issue, placing a train station next to the East Lancashire Road would only make matters worse.

LENDF chairman Ed Thwaites said: “More than 56,000 cars go through the junction at Lane Head every day and this is only going to get worse.

We understand that something needs to be done but we don’t think a station there will help.

“We are happy to support the council’s plan to reopen Golborne station and we would be happy to see either Kenyon or Lowton Junction reopened.

“We don’t think people want to get to London or Scotland.

“They want to go to Manchester or Liverpool and this would allow them to do that.

“TfL’s proposal will make four farms unworkable, it will cause a huge mess putting it all in and we don’t think the station will allow through traffic to use the access road that will be built to the station.

“What we think would help is a bypass. By extending Atherleigh Way to Winwick Lane it would ease the traffic on Lane Head and create an access road to a possible HS2 station at Wilton Lane.

“This would only disrupt farm land that will already be partially destroyed by HS2 if it goes ahead.”

“TfL’s proposal will leave a lot of farm land unusable due to the interchange running through it and this could be purchased and houses built on it. Lowton would almost double in size.”

The Transport Secretary would have to agree to the need for a HS2 station in the area and HS2 Limited would ultimately decide the station’s position.