Transport plan includes extension of railway from Heywood to Castleton

Plans to extend the East Lancashire Railway from Heywood to Castleton are part of a £4m plan set up by Rochdale Council as part of a future transport strategy for the borough.

The extension of the Heywood station to Castleton would go on to provide a platform link to Calder Valley line connecting trains to Manchester and Leeds.

Plans also include a regeneration of the station and the surrounding area.

The scheme is one of a number of potential schemes which make up the Rochdale Borough Transport Strategy.

First put together in 2010, the strategy has attracted more than £55m of funding for transport projects.

Notable projects include the new Transport Interchange and the Rochdale Metrolink.

The scheme will be reviewed in March 2014.