THE positive news that the transformation of Bolton rail station is now well underway to being completed (Bolton News, August 16), is part of the much wider 'Great North Rail Project' that our Conservative government is funding to electrify and re-build most of the infrastructure —including some stations, Farnworth Tunnel and many bridges.

This has of course caused inconvenience for the public over the time it has necessarily taken to undertake this historic, and long overdue, upgrades that will have positive consequences for rail users, the local economy, employment and not least the environment.

It is also most welcome that Bolton Labour Council's cabinet member for transport, councillor David Chadwick has praised the government's programme of investing in our local railway system, saying ''This is absolutely fantastic'' — which of course compares favourably with the inaction over the 13 years (1997-2010) in office of the last Labour government in investing in our local rail network.

Derek Bullock

Leigh Road

Westhoughton