BOLTON Euro-MP Chris Davies has welcomed a pledge from Britain's top rail boss that passengers need have no fears for the future of train services on the Blackburn to Bolton line.

There has been concern about the threat of cuts to services because of the rise in the price of running the country's rail network since privatisation.

With costs of investment projects having increased by 50 per cent in the past three years, and Government subsidies now at record levels, there has been growing speculation that lesser-used rail lines could face the axe.

But Richard Bowker, chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority, has given Chris Davies, one of the North-west's 10 MEPs, an unequivocal assurance that passenger services are safe.

Speaking at a briefing session in the European Parliament in Brussels, the rail chief responded to a challenge from the Liberal Democrat MEP by saying that he regarded the idea of closing branch lines and rural railways as "a waste of time".

Mr Bowker said: "The savings we would make are minimal. The real costs are incurred not by lesser used lines, but by the high density ones in urban areas. There is simply no point anyone in the Strategic Rail Authority looking at this.

Mr Davies said: "This was the strongest, most categorical assurance I could possibly have received."

Richard Bowker's comments made me breathe a sigh of relief."

It is simply not worth the aggro."

His remarks were welcomed by the MEP.