IT is proposed to reopen a rail link between Colne and Skipton, particularly in order to provide a direct through route via Skipton and Leeds for the bulk carrying of fuel from Liverpool to Drax power station.
There already is a direct link along that route almost to the power station. It is called the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which has a connection with the River Aire and the Aire and Calder Canal to within sight of Drax power station.
All it would need is a short stretch as an improvement to the river/canal to go right up to the power station for unloading. That would be much cheaper and quicker than building a completely new rail line.
Once the process of transportation was started and continued, almost continuously, it could be just as quick and probably much cheaper than using frequent heavy goods trains between Liverpool and Drax via Leeds which would block the already-congested Aire Valley rail route.
Our forefathers could teach us a thing or two about the cheap and easy transportation of bulk cargoes.
STEVE BENNETT
Grafton Road
Keighley
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