Westhoughton is in line for another rail station which would make it the best served town in the North-west.

Transport bosses have dusted off plans for a station at Dobb Brow which were shelved after rail privatisation eight years ago.

Dobb Brow, around a mile from Daisy Hill, is highest on a list of 20 locations in Greater Manchester highlighted as possible sites for new stations in the region's Local Transport Plan.

Little Hulton could also be on track for its own station, and plans to open a second platform at Lostock station, allowing trains linked with Wigan to stop there, are also being considered.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) have submitted a £6.4 million bid to the Government towards the cost of building new stations.

GMPTE officers are now working with the area's councils, including Bolton and Salford, to assess which of the shortlisted stations are likely to attract the most passengers.

Guy Harkin, vice chairman of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA) and deputy leader of Bolton council, said: "We would have built a station at Dobb Brow eight years ago if the Tories hadn't privatised the railways.

"We ended up with years of wrangling for funding under a system where it cost three times more to build a station than it did before.

"I would hope that of the list of stations we have, Dobb Brow would be built first. We would like to see work begin next year.

"It would make Westhoughton about the best-served small town for railway stations in the whole of England."

Detailed feasibility studies will now be carried out for each of the possible new stations before business cases are drawn up.

It is expected the cost of any new stations built would be supplemented by private sector investment. GMPTA wants to see train use in Greater Manchester increase three or fourfold in the next 10 years.