Early feasibility work being carried out for planned railway station at …
Date published: 01 December 2023
Photo: Sheila Rayner
Snow on the railway line at Slattocks
Early feasibility work is currently being carried out for a planned railway station at Slattocks.
The station would become the sixth railway station within the Rochdale borough and is already named within the Transport for Greater Manchester 2040 strategy document and part of the Rochdale rail corridor strategy.
Slattocks Station would be situated close to the Stakehill roundabout, near to the A664 (Rochdale Road). This would be between Mills Hill and Castleton stations on the Calder Valley Line which runs from Manchester Victoria via Rochdale to Leeds and Bradford.
A station at Slattocks was first proposed in 2019, with Rochdale Borough Council reiterating support for the idea in April 2022.
Now Rochdale Borough Council has confirmed work is being carried out for the station’s feasibility.
A spokesperson added: “We would love to see a railway station at Slattocks and this is part of the council’s rail corridor strategy and TfGM’s 2040 transport strategy.”
STORM (Support The Rochdale Oldham Manchester rail lines group) chairman Richard Greenwood MBE said: “STORM was formed many years ago to save the Oldham Loop railway line. We were successful in that campaign and later, supported the conversion of the line from ‘heavy rail’ to Metrolink. We have constantly pressed for better services at all the stations between Moston and Littleborough, as well as improved waiting facilities at these stations.
“STORM was prominent in campaigning for a community rail partnership for the Calder Valley Line, the reopening of the subway at Rochdale Station and the taming of the Miall Street forest that borders the station. The latter will now become Rochdale Platform Park, a new community hub.
“Both Mills Hill and Smithy Bridge stations were opened in 1985 as ‘temporary experimental stations’ and have both been huge successes, taking thousands of car journeys off the borough’s roads in the last four decades. We are hoping that a station at Slattocks will do the same. A recent STORM survey revealed that there are over 300 cars parked every day at Hopwood Hall College’s Middleton campus; over an academic year that means over 100,000 car journeys.”
He added: “It has been announced that billions of pounds will now be spent on rail projects in the north of England. A simple station at Slattocks should not prove to be a prohibitive cost.”
STORM hopes to gather the support of local residents, Hopwood Hall College, and businesses at Stakehill Business Park, as well as local councillors and the MP.
The current renovation of Hopwood Hall will see this historic building become a visitor attraction. Future visitors would then be able to arrive by train or bus.
References
- ^ Middleton could be on track for new train stationPublished: 22 February 2019 (www.rochdaleonline.co.uk)
- ^ Three new railways stations mooted for borough in bid to boost public transport linksPublished: 08 April 2022 (www.rochdaleonline.co.uk)