NEW train service which would provide a link to Manchester for residents in Daisy Hill, Walkden, and Atherton is being considered by transport chiefs.

The Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) has said it would like to provide a Sunday train service from Wigan Wallgate to Manchester Victoria station.

The service would call at Hindley, Daisy Hill, Hag Fold, Atherton, Walkden and Swinton stations, provisionally starting at 9.40am from Wigan Wallgate and arriving at Manchester Victoria at 10.10am.

Cllr David Wilkinson, who represents Westhoughton South on Bolton Council which includes Daisy Hill, and sits on the GMITA’s rail committee, said: “This is a major line from Wigan into Manchester. It has had considerable growth in the past few years. The glaring omission is the Sunday service.

“There would be so many advantages to having the Sunday service.

“The committee was positive about the proposals. Everybody would like to see it but the GMITA is under considerable pressure, like many other organisations at this time.”

The transport committee also looked at a bus service but the journey time would have been more than three times as long as by train, for some journeys.

The proposals would cost the GMITA an estimated £329,100 over four years, if it received £265,200 in revenue from customers.

The number of passengers using the service on Mondays to Saturdays has increased by up to 60 per cent from 2003/4 to 2007/8.

Users have welcomed the proposals.

Peter Aust, chairman of Friends of Walkden station, said: “In this changing world, we can just about do anything on a Sunday except get a train from Walkden station.

“It is something we have been lobbying for for some time. We are delighted it is on the cards.”