Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the timeframe for considering improvements to east-west rail links; what progress they have made in providing a regular passenger service on the Hellifield Link between Lancashire and Yorkshire.

In May 2024 Northern Trains launched the Yorkshire Dales Explorer, which links Manchester and Ribblehead, restoring passenger services to the line between Clitheroe and Hellifield for the first time in more than two decades. Northern has worked with local bus providers to co-ordinate services and with stakeholders including the Yorkshire Dales National Park and rambling groups, who organised walks around the timetable. This service has been a great success and won a silver award in the tourism category at the 2025 Community Rail Awards.

Rail North Partnership and Northern are now working with stakeholders including Lancashire County Council and York & North Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to assess whether additional services on this line could be operationally practical and offer value for money.