RAIL campaigners have welcomed the biggest hint yet that train bosses are committed to electrifying a major line through Bolton.

In its Electrification Route Utilisation Strategy report, released yesterday, Network Rail identified the Manchester to Preston line, which passes through Bolton, as a priority should additional funding become available.

It comes after rail campaigners and the Association of Train Operating Companies led the calls for the electrification of the line, which would help to ease the chronic congestion problems at peak times.

This is the first time the plans have been identified in a Network Rail report, giving more weight to the proposals.

Preva Crossley, from the Greater Manchester Transport Campaign, welcomed the news.

He said: “I think it is fantastic that the idea has now got the backing of Network Rail. It has been talked about for a number of years and has had backing from various people this year, but never — until now — from Network Rail.

“We desperately need measures to beat overcrowding on the services between Bolton and Manchester and this is a real light at the end of the tunnel.

“We still need new rolling stock and that has to be the real priority but anything that will help in the long term has to be good news.”

Currently only 40 per cent of the rail network is electrified, including most of the south east of England, and the main lines from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as the Merseyrail network around Liverpool and the Glasgow suburban network.

In July, Network Rail secured the go-ahead for schemes to electrify routes between London and Swansea and Liverpool and Manchester.

As well as being more environmentally friendly, electric trains operate at faster speeds which means they can clear lines quickly, allowing more services to use the line.

andrew.greaves@theboltonnews.co.uk