A RAIL pressure group is to slam Railtrack and private rail operators for their handling of the region's railway network at a special forum on Saturday.

The Railway Development Society want to see the electrification of the Blackpool North to Manchester line, which goes through Bolton, as part of a package aimed at giving the North a railway network fit for the Millennium.

Peter Owen, Chairman of RDS's National Re-openings Committee and North West spokesman, explained why electrifying the region's network is so important.

He said: "Electric trains are quieter and more environmentally friendly, and would allow the rail system to be integrated in a way that it can't be when it is part electric, part diesel.

"Bolton has no through trains to London at the moment, so electrifying the line would allow trains from Scotland, Blackpool and Preston to run through to London and the South."

There are no plans to electrify more lines in the Bolton area, with Virgin trains confirming they have ordered 78 new diesel trains.

A spokesman for Railtrack said: "We have consulted our industry partners, including train operators and local authorities and there are no aspirations to electrify the line in the future.

"It is not deemed to be necessary at the moment. The present situation is more than satisfactory."

Peter Owen, of RDS, said that was utter nonsense.

He said: "The privatised rail network is disorganised and disintegrated. They are only concerned about the bottom line - profit.

Health

"A long term view is needed to ensure the future health of the rail network.

"Private companies are not the right sort of bodies to take that view."

The RDS's Rail North forum is to be held on Saturday in Huddersfield. It will be addressed by Gwyneth Dunwoody MP, Chair of the house of Commons Transport Select Committee, and Alan Whitehouse, BBC Transport Correspondent.

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