Council bosses are being urged to write to the government to ensure that a new commuter rail link will be extended.
Services from Accrington to Manchester Victoria come on track from May 17 and councillors are anxious to see Manchester Airport eventually included as a stop on the line.
Accrington’s commuters, councillors, businesses and MP have all long bemoaned the successive delays to the opening of the £8.8m Todmorden Curve, which will slash journey times to Manchester from 90 minutes to 63.
The Observer in conjunction with Hyndburn MP Graham Jones campaigned for trains to get running on the line and now councillors want further assurances that the airport will be included as a stop once the Ordsall Chord is completed in December 2018. The chord will link Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria.
Councillor Noordad Aziz has submitted a motion to Hyndburn council calling on services to be extended to the airport.
Coun Aziz said: “The successful link of the direct train from East Lancashire to Manchester Airport will have a significant impact on Hyndburn’s Infrastructure and will provide an additional economic and social mobility injection into the area.
“We ask that steps are taken to review this matter, so that the area can benefit immediately on the opening of the Ordsall Curve.”
Coun Aziz also wants the council to seek assurance from the Department for Transport that there will not be a shortfall in rolling stock once the phasing out of pacer trains is completed by 2020. The government is phasing the 1980s trains out as they no longer meet Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations. Hyndburn council is due to consider the motion on Thursday, March 26.
