COMMUTERS in Euxton have been gifted an early Christmas present with the reopening of Balshaw Lane station.

Father Christmas was among the guests as the first train pulled in from Preston to mark the opening of the £1.1 million, two-platform stop on the West Coast Mainline.

A choir of fifty Chorley schoolchildren and BBC Radio Lancashire presenter Andy Peebles were also on hand to greet the new arrival on Monday, December 15.

The station was paid for entirely by Lancashire County Council and will be served hourly by trains running between Liverpool and Blackpool.

A spokesman for train operators North Western Trains said: "Balshaw Lane is ideally situated for the 10,000 residents to use the train for visiting the many city centre attractions and shops in the area and for reaching the resorts of Blackpool and Morecambe."

County councillor Bob Clark, chairman of the public transport sub-committee said: "We are keen to work together with the rail industry to improve facilties and routes throughout Lancashire. This new station marks an important step forward, making the rail option a realistic alternative for many travellers."

Chorley county councillor Richard Toon added: "This is a real boost for the people of Euxton and the surrounding areas. The county council is committed to encouraging people to use public transport rather than private cars."

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