Fleetwood to Poulton Reopen?

The Daily Telegraph for May 2nd carries a feature article on axed railway lines under the infamous Beeching cuts and announcement by the present Government of intention to provide £500 Million towards reopening costs of several. The article reviews in brief a 'wish list' of closed lines that could/should qualify for this funding.

Early on in the published article is 'Poulton-Le-Fylde - Fleetwood' with positive description and historical background to the original railway line. A big fillip to the work of the Local Authority and joined up efforts of economic development groups with aims of strengthening rail based infrastructure in the Fylde.

The FHLT support actions that enables Fleetwood to have its own special tourist tram providing a viewing of the riverside and opening up the eastern part of the town centre to regenerative investment. This in turn would allow a standard gauge track connection between the current tramway service from Blackpool to the railway line running into Wyre Dock from Poulton. A tram train operation would utilise the new connecting infrastructure permitting services into and from Fleetwood to Poulton and onward to Preston; and Blackpool's Talbot Road and North Station extension.

The same article in the Telegraph also references the Penrith to Keswick line closed in 1972. The growth of road traffic to the north Lakes has resulted in continuous delays for visitors forced to use buses as well as private cars. A reopening of the railway connection to the west coast mainline at Penrith could similarly involve tram train or light rail services.

Whether joined up planning that embraces this scheme and the Fylde tram train services is actually possible given the different local government boundaries and London based decision making stance affecting the entire country's rail strategies (large and small).

One can wish.