HOPES of a new railway station opening for Darwen's growing population have been dashed.

Councillors were told that resurrecting the old Spring Vale stop on the line between Blackburn and Bolton was at present a non-starter.

They had hoped, in the light of the decision to create a new station near Whitebirk on the Blackburn-Colne line, that consideration would be given for a new station to the south of Darwen.

They felt they particularly had a case at Spring Vale because of an increase in new houses in the Cranberry Lane and Sough areas.

Talks about whether a new station should be built on the former Spring Vale site have endured for more than ten years.

But Coun Andy Kay, Blackburn with Darwen executive member for regeneration, explained that Spring Vale was more difficult to pursue because the line there was single-track.

He said: "That makes it hard to get extra stops put in because trains operate to a tighter timetable to make sure they don't hold each other up. Extra stops would mean fewer services."

Darwen councillor Paul Browne, also an executive member, said: "This is still only at the discussion stage but we would all love to see a station at Spring Vale again. The question is whether it would be used enough to satisfy the money spent on it.

"It is over 40 years since the last station there was closed because it wasn't used enough. It had two tracks originally but one was removed.

"The population of Darwen has grown and a lot more houses have been built in that area. In my own view I can't see it happening, but it would be great if it did."

Spring Vale station closed on August 5, 1958.