News
Green light given for new train station in Greater Manchester town without one for 60 years
A new era is on the way.
Emily Sergeant -
1st May 2025 
The green light has been given to build a new train station in a Greater Manchester town that’s been without one for 60 years.
It’s been a whopping six decades, but the residents of Golborne will soon be able to hop on a train out of there, and that’s because a planning application to connect the Greater Manchester town, in the Wigan borough, that was submitted back in November of last year has been approved by Wigan Council.
This means connectivity is finally one step closer to becoming reality.
Plans to deliver a new £32m train station in Golborne have reached a milestone moment. 🚅@WiganCouncil has given the green light to the planning application for the station and #TfGM have appointed a local company to design it.
— Bee Network (@BeeNetwork) April 30, 2025
Find out more: https://t.co/u4w8XUDogX pic.twitter.com/6X3gRu2my8
In case you didn’t know, Golborne currently has no direct bus, train, or tram services to Manchester, while the wider area is the largest and most-populous area in Greater Manchester not connected to the rail network.
The application includes plans for a new accessible two-platform rail station, including step-free access throughout with a footbridge across the tracks and lifts to both platforms, a new hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, and onwards to Stalybridge, an improved town centre car park, and also new walking and cycling links to the town centre.
According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Golborne station scheme forms part of a wider ambition to bring eight commuter lines into the Bee Network by 2028 – of which ‘significant investment’ has been put into.
The planning approval milestone will also help to boost access to jobs and opportunities for people both in the town and in the wider Wigan borough.
Now that plans have been approved, this means TfGM, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Wigan Council, working with Government, will now develop a full business case and detailed design throughout this year.
To deliver this work, TfGM has appointed Golborne-based engineering firm Murphy to develop the final station designs.
Read more:
- Greater Manchester town could be set to get train station for first time in 60 years
- Passengers urged not to fire verbal or physical ‘abuse’ at conductors on Northern trains
- Andy Burnham calls for ‘efficient and reliable’ public transport as he slams local rail services
Subject to approval from the Government, work to make the Golborne station vision finally become a reality will begin in 2026, and it’s hoped that the first trains will stop there in 2027.
Featured Image – TfGM
