IN your report (LT, February 6) on the visit of Trade Minister Lord Green to Blackburn, you omit to mention an interesting point raised by a member of the audience regarding the ‘connectivity’ of Blackburn to the rest of Northern England, alluding to the poor rail connections from the town.

This is likely to be of wider interest to your readership than discussions on capital allowances.

Jack Straw made the point to Lord Green that, while London and South-East England is about to benefit massively from the Crossrail project which is costing billions, it would only require £15m to improve the Blackburn to Manchester line to achieve a half-hourly service – currently hourly. Mr Straw went on to highlight the age of the rolling stock on this line which dates back 30 years. Some services use Pacer trains, a fusion of goods-wagons and Leyland bus parts, intended as a short-term solution to a shortage of rolling stock in the early 1980s.

Many Blackburn exporting manufacturers were present at Lord Green’s address. I wonder how many have shared my personal discomfort at picking up Swiss and Japanese business visitors at Blackburn station as they comment, ultra-politely, on their sauntering journey from Manchester on quaint rail wagons.

Surely it is these types of glaring deficiencies to the area’s infrastructure which need addressing by the region’s business leaders and their representative organisations.

Peter Cloney, DIB Europe Limited.