A Wigan township's first railway station in six decades is expected to be open by spring 2028
There is light at the end of the tunnel as a completion date is given for a Wigan town’s new railway station
A Wigan borough community is expecting to be reconnected to the railway network in 18 months time.
Work has now begun on creating a new railway station at Golborne which, when completed, will see the town served by trains for the first time in more than 60 years.
A public consultation in early 2024 showed high levels of support for the station proposals and the planning application for the new station has been approved by Wigan Council.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) appointed Golborne-based engineering firm Murphy to develop the final station designs.
On top of the station plans, TfGM said it was looking at ways to improve the town and areas around the station.
The station and local improvements scheme is being paid for by locally devolved government funding with a cost estimate of around £32m.
Former Golborne councillor Gena Merrett has since been able to provide an update on the schedule of work for the coming months.
In a social media post, she said the station building is due to be completed by December 17 2027, with the car park and town centre links completed by spring 2028.
The station is expected to open in spring 2028.
Construction compounds are currently located on St Thomas’s field and at the library car park.
The library will close for between eight and 10 weeks from the end of September for refurbishment, with parking spaces reorganised at the northern end of the car park.
During the next phase, construction vehicles will use the area near the former goods shed.
The library car park will be refurbished and upgraded once the station works are complete.
Ms Merrett said that TfGM is continuing to explore additional town centre parking options, while resident permit parking schemes around the station are also being developed.
She said that safe, accessible station access — including lighting, CCTV, improved footpaths and lifts — is a key priority.
She said: “There is strong local support for bringing the former goods shed back into use as a heritage centre, possibly with a community café.
“Negotiations are ongoing. TfGM will provide further updates to councillors, the Neighbourhood Forum and residents quarterly.
“Consultation feedback showed very strong support for the station, with parking, buses and accessibility among the main issues raised. “
The station will be on the west coast main line, five miles south of Wigan North Western station and one mile north of Golborne junction, near the site of the previous Golborne station.
Once operating, TfGM anticipates an hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, subject to government approval.
The two-platform station will have an entrance from the west side, near Railway Road, as well as eastern access to Golborne town centre from Lowton across the footbridge.
Golborne currently has no direct bus, train or tram services to Manchester, and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said train services would reduce journey times into Manchester city centre by up to 30 minutes.
There were political campaigns for a new station to be created dating back to the 1980s but it has only been in the last few years that there has been enough political will to see the £32m idea turned into reality.