Councillor David Wilkinson outside Daisy Hill railway station

The timetable for the new Sunday service from Daisy Hill has been unveiled.

The service will run from Wigan to Manchester. It starts in May and is expected to run as a 12-month trial.

Westhoughton councillor David Wilkinson, who sits on Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA), supported the decision.

Cllr Wilkinson said: “I fully support this new service and I hope that Westhoughton residents will get behind the trial and make it a success.”

You can download the full timetable in PDF format by clicking here.

Cllr David Wilkinson outside Daisy Hill railway station

A new trial Sunday service is to be launched on the line that runs through Daisy Hill railway station.

The proposed service, operated by Northern Rail, would run hourly during the day on Sundays, with the last train departing from Manchester shortly after 6pm. Trains will run between Wigan Wallgate and Manchester Victoria, via Atherton and Walkden. It will be funded by the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (ITA) for a year before being reviewed.

The service is something Westhoughton South ward councillor David Wilkinson has been campaigning on for a number of years.

Cllr Wilkinson, who sits on the ITA, said: “This is fantastic news and it has received my full support. Now we need everyone to throw their support behind the trial and use it to its full potential.”

“Residents will now have the opportunity to enjoy Sunday rail travel. This will bring to an end an anomaly in that the Daisy Hill line is currently the only line in Greater Manchester without a Sunday service.”

Cllr David Wilkinson outside Daisy Hill railway station

Plans for a new Sunday service from Daisy Hill train station are being drawn up.

A service from Wigan Wallgate to Manchester is being considered by the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority.

The service would call at Hindley, Daisy Hill, Hag Fold, Atherton, Walkden and Swinton stations, provisionally starting at 9.40am from Wigan Wallgate and arriving at Manchester Victoria at 10.10am.

Local councillor David Wilkinson who represents Bolton on the GMITA has backed the move. Fellow councillor Julia Silvester added: “This seems like the next logical step to improving this increasingly popular service.”

The much-needed car park was originally approved by Liberal Democrat ward councillor David Wilkinson in 2005 but the plans have been hit with delays since Labour took over the administration of the council.

A legal dispute between Bolton Council and the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA) has been blamed.

The council owns the land and will construct the car park, whilst the GMPTA will run the site.

Ward councillor David Wilkinson said: “We could have had this car park up and running a long time ago if it wasn’t for the legal ping-pong being played between Bolton and Manchester town halls.”

The good news that the construction of the car park is to commence soon was marred by the possibility, however, that the times that the station is manned by a member of staff is to be slashed in favour of larger stations.