FASTER rail links to Manchester are vital for the regeneration of Burnley, councillors have insisted.

Councillors have agreed to spend £100,000 on consultants to ensure a business case is built up for more effective rail services to Manchester.

They say work necessary to press home the case for sub-45 minutes journey times to the city from the borough is crucial.

Last month Burnley missed out in the last North West Rail Review over reinstating the link.

Now consultants Faber, Maunsell have drawn up two options.

The first is a service running from Nelson station via Burnley Central and onto Blackburn and Manchester. This would cost in the region of £7.4million in infrastructure costs, but still leave a journey time of 68 minutes.

But a more favoured option would see the reinstatement of a rail link known as the Todmorden Curve which would give Burnley rail passengers via Manchester Road Station, a 38 minute journey time into Manchester Victoria at a cost £8.2million.

Burnley's rail ambitions did not figure in the last regional rail review which proposed the regeneration of Salford junction and Bolton stations and longer trains on the Blackburn to Clitheroe line.

But council bosses are keen not to miss out when a further rail review takes place in 2011/2012.

Coun Martin Smith said: "It is a little bit disappointing that the Todmorden Curve scheme has not been included in local transport plans.

"While I understand the reasons for that I think that this issue is vital for the regeneration of Burnley."

Coun Peter Doyle, executive member for resources, said: "It is important for people who work in Manchester and live in Burnley." But he also said it could prove to be decisive for people making the opposite journey.

"Better rail links would also help the local housing market if services were more reliable in Burnley than the south side of Manchester which frequently encountered problems," added Coun Doyle.