Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

would be commencing in the near future. However, although the scheme primarily involved landscaping and regrading work to the embankments, LCC intended to include certain areas of adjoining land which served no useful purpose, were overgrown and untidy. The inclusion of these areas of land in this scheme would prove to be beneficial in terms of the aesthetic appeal. He pointed out that several areas of this land were owned by the Council, and the County Council had requested licences for entry onto this land in order to carry out this work. He added that he had recently written to the County Council, pointing out that as yet no agreement had been reached with regard to the final scheme and no mention had been made of maintenance costs. He concluded by stating that unless this Council was consulted on the final scheme, Hyndburn Council would not be in a position to assume any responsibility for the cost of its maintenance. The Borough Planning Officer however, recommended that as these areas of land had no practical use to the Council, a licence would be granted to LCC on terms and conditions agreed by him. It was resolved that the actions of the Borough Planning Officer would be accepted and approved. The Policy & Resources Committee also met during August, when further to a previous minute the Town Clerk reported that the attention of the Divisional Manager of BR at Preston, had been drawn to the problems encountered when boarding or alighting from eastbound trains at Rishton Station and he now submitted the Divisional Manager’s reply, together with a copy of his letter dated July 8 th . He stated that it was the role of the County Council to co-ordinate transport, as a result of which in the near future they were to examine all rail services in the County’s area, and at that time consideration would be given to the problems arising at Rishton Railway Station. This report was noted. Further to another minute the Town Clerk submitted a report containing the following correspondences - 1. A letter to the Secretary of State for Transport. 2. The Secretary of State’s response. 3. Letters from Arthur Davidson MP to the Town Clerk and the Minister of Transport. 4. Letters from David Waddington, former MP. A letter from the Hon Sec of NELDA. These were accompanied by a report setting out copies of the Town Clerk’s letters to the Chairman of the British Railways Board, Sir Peter Parker, in the light of the Secretary of State’s comments. It was resolved that the actions taken by the Town Clerk would be accepted and approved. The Town Clerk next submitted for the information of the Members three reports - It was resolved to make note of these correspondences. The Town Clerk then reported that the Divisional Manager of BR had granted a licence to the Rishton Travel Agency in Oswaldtwistle, to enable them to sell tickets at both their Oswaldtwistle and Rishton branches. The Divisional Manager had requested that Hyndburn Council do everything in their power to ensure that these were a successful enterprise, as the licences had been granted on condition that certain levels of business were achieved. He also acknowledged that a letter of thanks had been received from Oswaldtwistle Civic Society for the Council’s support in improving rail services for Oswaldtwistle (and Church). It was also resolved to ask if BR was willing to grant permission for the same facility to be provided in Great Harwood. It was further resolved that Rishton Travel Agency would be urged to publicise as widely as possible the facility now available to the public in Oswaldtwistle as well as in Rishton. There was a choice of destinations on Sunday the 23 rd , to either Blackpool or Morecambe, with fares at £1:70p and 85p and £2:70p and £1:35p respectively. Another, this time half-day excursion went to Blackpool on Sunday the 30 th , with a full day trip on Monday the 31 st , when Morecambe was also revisited. At the end of the month and despite the claims by BR that they were to make stations more ‘user friendly’, they again had refused to raise the platforms at Rishton Station by the two feet required to bring them up to the level, where mothers with prams and the elderly could easily board trains. Councillor Donald McNeil pointed out that in days gone by in order to overcome the difficulties in the differing heights between the platform and the carriages ‘mounting blocks’ had been provided. There was a 24 inch 5. 1) A letter from the Chief Executive/Clerk to Lancashire County Council. 2) A letter from the Chief Executive/Clerk to the Minister of Transport. 3) A draft statement from LCC on future rail services in Lancashire.

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