The head of North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce (www.lancschamber.co.uk) is calling for a re-think on the Government’s plans for high-speed rail links with London.

Earlier this month, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin pledged that HS2 will go ahead, with work on phase one — the connection between Birmingham and London — beginning in 2017 and the so-called ‘Y network’ — the lines to Leeds and Manchester — following soon after.

Babs Murphy, chief executive of the Chamber, said: “I would ask the Government to re-consider the decision to end the line at Manchester — and bring it into Lancashire. The North West of England does not stop at Manchester.

Extending the line to Preston would provide a greater connectivity, not just to Lancashire, but to Cumbria, Scotland and the whole of the North West.”