Fleetwood rail reopening campaign gathers momentum at MP-backed event

6 October 2026

Reopening the former line, which was closed in 1966, would reconnect the town to the national rail network and bring a wide range of benefits to the local community, including improved access to jobs, education and healthcare, while supporting economic development linked to the Hillhouse Enterprise Zone and the Port of Fleetwood.

Lorraine Beavers MP, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood, said:

“Reopening the Poulton-Fleetwood rail line would be transformational for our community. It would improve access to jobs, education and services, help tackle long-standing inequalities, and support the economic opportunities emerging across Fleetwood, Thornton-Cleveleys and the wider Fylde Coast. I’m delighted to be bringing together local and national stakeholders to discuss how we can make this vision a reality.”

Michael Solomon Williams, Head of Campaigns and External Affairs at Campaign for Better Transport, which is helping host the event, said:

“Fleetwood was once a key rail gateway connecting communities across Britain. Reopening the rail line would not just be about restoring a missing piece of infrastructure; it would help create new opportunities for residents, support sustainable economic growth and strengthen transport links across Lancashire. We’re pleased to be working with Lorraine Beavers MP and local partners to highlight the case for reopening this important route.”

The event is taking place at the North Euston Hotel which once welcomed passengers arriving in Fleetwood by train before they continued their journeys by ferry to Scotland and Ireland. The hotel’s name reflects the town’s historic direct rail connection to London Euston, underlining the town’s longstanding role as a transport hub.

A range of local and national stakeholders are expected to attend the event, reflecting both the wide support for the proposal and the significance of the project for Fleetwood’s future prosperity.

ENDS

For further information please contact the press office on 07984 773 468 (calls only no texts) or communications@bettertransport.org.uk

Notes to Editors

The Fleetwood branch line originally opened in 1840. However, as activity at Fleetwood Docks declined in the mid-1960s, Fleetwood Railway Station closed in 1966, with the remaining section of the line south to Poulton shutting four years later in 1970. The route remained in use for freight services serving the ICI plant at Burn Naze Halt until 1999, when all traffic on the line ceased.

In 2022, it was announced that plans to reopen the line would progress to the next stage of the Government’s Restoring your Railway fund programme which was set up to help restore lost lines and stations. The fund was unexpectedly cancelled in July 2024 and any projects which had not reached an advanced stage were halted.

Successful reopenings thanks to the Restoring your Railway Fund programme include the Dartmoor Line which was delivered £10 million under budget in under nine months, and the Northumberland Line which brought passenger trains back into service between Ashington and Newcastle with six new railway stations. Both lines have far exceeded predicted passenger numbers and have helped rejuvenate the local areas.

Campaign for Better Transport operates in England and Wales. Campaign for Better Transport’s vision is for all communities to have access to high-quality, sustainable transport that meets their needs, improves quality of life, reduces inequality, and supports a vibrant, productive and decarbonised economy. Campaign for Better Transport Charitable Trust is a registered charity (1101929).