MORE than 100 new jobs are to be created as Northern Rail revealed its plans to invest £30million in East Lancashire.

Rail bosses at Northern, the new franchise holder for services across the North West, said 70 new positions will be created as the firm moves into Blackburn’s award-winning office block One Cathedral Square this year.

Another 40 jobs will come when the new maintenance depot, The Wrangling, in Harrison Street opens its doors.

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Liam Sumpter, the firm’s regional director, hailed the double investment as a sign of the company’s commitment to Blackburn and surrounding area.

He also promised eight new trains, both electric and diesel, across the Northern network; all Pacers and some other older trains to be removed from service; the refurbishment to ‘as-new’ standard of the remainder of the fleet; and improvements this year at stations in East Lancashire.

Mr Sumpter revealed the total cost of the new ‘Harrison Street’ depot being built on the derelict site of disused coal sidings between the existing track, Sumner Street, Duckworth Street,and Brunswick Street was £28m.

He said the company was spending several million on its move into the Cathedral Quarter and around £2m on a proposed upgrade for Blackburn railway station.

He also revealed a £10m station improvement scheme would involve Chorley, Burnley Manchester Road and Huncoat.

Community leaders said the announcement was ‘great news’ for the town, jobs and rail services across East Lancashire.

Mr Sumpter revealed work on the move into One Cathedral Square, which leaves just one floor left to let with an announcement expected soon, would begin later this summer with more than 100 staff, some new, in place by early 2018.

The new jobs will be split between drivers, conductors and support staff with 30 people living locally transferring from Manchester, and the remaining 70 to 80 being newly recruited in East Lancashire.

He also revealed the actual cost of the new depot was £28m, three times the £10m investment which had been originally expected locally, including a new railway bridge over Galligreaves Street.

Mr Sumpter said all 40 new jobs at The Wrangling would be recruited locally with the depot partially opening in August and completely open by May 2018.

Virtually the whole of the North West diesel fleet will be based in Blackburn with new electric trains homed in Allerton, Liverpool.

Mr Sumpter said as well as refurbished London underground trains being used on the East Lancashire line from Preston through Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley to Colne to replace 30-year-old Pacers by 2019, some could be brand new units.

The 36-year-old told the Lancashire Telegraph: “This is major long-term investment of more than £30million in Blackburn to make it the central rail hub in Lancashire.

“We are spending in the low millions on setting up One Cathedral Square.

“It will be fitted with all the latest technology and comforts which are expected in a modern train crew depot.

“It is in a wonderful setting and a fantastic office right next to the railway station which is important to our train staff.

“We have spent £28m on the new depot in Blackburn, which will house all our diesel trains, including the refurbished underground units and brand-new ones from CAF, which could be seen on the East Lancashire line.

“In total there are more than 100 new, high-quality, skilled and highly paid jobs being created in Blackburn by Northern.

“This is a sign of our commitment to the area on top of the new half-hourly service on the Clitheroe-Blackburn-Manchester line.

“We will be ready to lobby Rail North and the government for improvements for the East Lancashire Line when investment becomes available.”

Blackburn with Darwen regeneration boss, Cllr Phil Riley, said: “These are the sort of high-quality, skilled and well-paid jobs we want in the borough.

“The fact they have chosen the Cathedral Quarter office block is a demonstration of the attractiveness of the new town centre.”

Borough Council Liberal Democrat group leader, Cllr David Foster, said: “This is great news and great investment.”

Pendle Tory MP Andrew Stephenson said: “This is great news." for Blackburn and for the whole of our area.

“It is good for jobs, the economy and passengers and holds out the hope of further investment in the East Lancashire line.”

The new stabling, maintenance and cleaning centre includes an office block and new connection to the existing Bolton junction where the tracks to Preston and Darwen divide.