URGENT improvements to the railway links between Bolton and Blackburn are needed to avoid a “two tier” service, former home secretary Jack Straw has warned.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Blackburn MP Mr Straw, pictured, welcomed the announcement that the long-awaited “Nothern Hub” rail development had been given the go-ahead on Monday — but he asked for reasurrances from economic secretary to the treasury Justine Greening that the line between his constituency and Bolton would see improvements.

Monday’s announcement will see £322 million spent between 2014 and 2019 to provide new track and a range of other upgrades across the north of England. Mr Straw said: “I assume from the welcome reference in the secretary of state’s statement to high-value, small-scale schemes that she accepts that, to avoid a two-tier railway, lines such as the Blackburn to Bolton line are in urgent need of doubling and improvement.

“What progress is likely to be made on that?” Justine Greening replied: “The good news is that our investment in the Northern Hub opens up more capacity on that stretch of the line.

“Of course, the decision about how the capacity is then used is a local and regional decision. For the first time, the opportunity will open up and I am sure that the right honourable gentleman will want to make his case to his local passenger transport executive.”

Cllr David Chadwick, who represents Bolton on the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: “I would support what Jack Straw is trying to achieve because that is their main link into Manchester and gets a train about every hour in off-peak times.

“People want to get away from using their cars , and train links are the best route into towns and cities.”

He said: “From sitting down with officers on the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee and with the chairman Andrew Fender, the Northern Hub plans are already in place and most of the work has been done, so we just need to get that money into Greater Manchester.”