A BID to man Bolton's "lonely and foreboding" stations has met with widespread approval from rail operators.

Rail bosses have reacted favourably to calls to bring back stationmasters at Hall i'th' Wood, Kearsley, Darwen and Blackrod.

As reported in the BEN, European MP Chris Davies is putting pressure on rail bosses to staff more than 100 North-west train stations -- including four in the Bolton area.

Stations such as Blackrod, Kearsley, Westhoughton and Hall i' th' Wood should be run by station agents, said the North-west MEP.

Passengers would see huge benefits from better timetable information and a website service from the station agents.

The cost could be met by better tickets sales, he claimed.

His proposals have been welcomed bythe managing director of Northern Spirit, which run trains across the Pennines and which may be bidding for the right to run trains locally. He expressed "extreme interest", asking his Franchise Team to look at the idea in more detail.

MEP Chris Davies said: "The railway station used to be a focus of the local community, but now that so many are unstaffed they can become shabby and even threatening places. A bit of individual attention for customers would work wonders".

Mr Davies said that while the business of some local stations would be too small to support a franchise arrangement of this kind, some 'station agents' have combined selling tickets with another business such as running a post office or newsagents.

He said: "It could be an attractive option for a young person with enthusiasm and drive or perhaps for an early-retired seeking income and interest."

The commercial director of First North Western has also said they are looking to include proposals to man stations in their business plan for 2001/2