A SUMMIT meeting has been held to try to help the Yorkshire dales economy by linking it by train with Manchester.

Several rail users groups, including Help from Lancashire and the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle line, have formed an organisation to pool resources and seek new services on the Settle-Carlisle line, with a Manchester link.

New rail franchises are being drawn up for the next 20 years, and the users groups see this as an opportunity to get a daily service established linking Carlisle, Settle, Hellifield, Clitheroe, Blackburn, Bolton, Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester international airport. The group feels this would open up travel to work and access to the airport, and benefit business, education, leisure and shopping .

A feasibility study has shown that more students today live at home and travel to college. There is also more environmental awareness of the effects of global warming and pollution caused by road vehicles; these could be reduced and ease the strain on rural roads.

There would also be an increase in tourist trade to stimulate the economy, which is currently suffering from a rapid decline in incomes within agriculture.

At the moment, train services do run from Carlisle to Hellifield and Leeds, as well as from Clitheroe to Manchester, but the 13-mile stretch from Hellifield to Clitheroe does not have regular linking trains, although the track is open and runs a few trains at weekends. One will run on the 125th anniversary of the Settle-Carlisle line on May 1.

Mr Pete Shaw from the Friends of Settle-Carlisle line said: "The time is ripe and the missing link is already well overdue. We are busy establishing wide support from local authorities. The partnership anticipates that a regular service several times a day in both directions would soon build up viable number of passengers."

Upper Wensleydale business and tourism association committee is very keen to see this link established, seeing it as a golden opportunity to boost the local economy and bring in more visitors, without bringing more road traffic.

The community investment prospectus, recently completed, clearly supports the reinstatement of the line from Garsdale to Hawes. "This continual line from Hawes to Manchester would give dales people an easy link for travelling, especially in winter when roads can be hazardous over the fells".

Mrs Ruth Annison, a director of Wensleydale Railway Company, said: "As well as being an important route in itself, this would have an important effect on passenger numbers for the Wensleydale railway and visitors to the Hawes area in future. We wish them every success."

County Coun John Blackie said: "This is a wonderful opportunity to open up city centres services to dales people, and will give access for visitors to the dales."

The group hopes local authorities, the national park and individuals will give support and write to the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, 55 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0EU.