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Calls grow for progress on Skipton-Colne rail line reopening

Wednesday, 29 July 2026 08:06

By Local Democracy Reporter, Chris Young

Northern Rail.

Fresh calls have been made for the reopening of the Skipton-Colne railway line, with a senior Bradford councillor describing the project as a potential boost for transport, education and the local economy.

The issue was raised at a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority's Weaver Network Board, where Councillor Andrew Judson, Deputy Leader of Bradford Council and councillor for Keighley West, asked whether the authority continued to support the long-running campaign to restore the rail connection.

The 12-mile railway between Skipton and Colne closed in 1970.

Campaign group Skipton and East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership (SELRAP) has continued to campaign for its reopening, arguing it would improve connectivity between Yorkshire and Lancashire while delivering economic benefits to communities on both sides of the Pennines.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Judson said:

"For Keighley and Bradford and for the universities, getting that line open and getting the people from those areas from Manchester, they can come round the top way and get to us easier.

"For Bradford and Keighley instead of going across and getting stuck in the traffic jam as it were, they can go round and have another direct link to Manchester.

"I personally think as a link that is a very important thing to go forward."

The reopening of the Skipton-Colne line has been the subject of campaigning for many years, with supporters arguing it would strengthen rail connections across the North, improve access between Yorkshire and Lancashire, and support economic growth.

No timescale has been announced for the project, with funding remaining one of the key challenges to delivering the scheme.

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