RAIL congestion around Bolton and Greater Manchester could be costing the region upto £16 billion, a think-tank has claimed.

Northern Way, a body made up of three northern development agencies, says busy tracks around Manchester Piccadilly station - including those going into the city from Bolton - are delaying trains between cities in the north.

It has published the first stage of its study into the Manchester Hub, the network in and around the city’s two main stations Piccadilly and Victoria.

One of the key objectives set out in the report is supporting growth across Greater Manchester by improving access to the key town centres, such as Bolton.

Professor David Begg, chairman of transport advisory group Northern Transport Compact, said: "A feasible package of measures that includes greater connectivity across Manchester would bring between £13bn and £16bn economic benefits for the North of England and beyond."

The report has been welcomed by Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris.

He said: “We are looking at ways we can improve our transport network and this is part of that. Had we got funding from the Transport Innovation Fund then we would have been able to make some of these improvements."