Hopefully if SELRAP get their way there may be a direct route to Skipton instead of having to take the train to Leeds then changing trains for Skipton, imagine the time you'd save if there was a direct train to Skipton.
Investing on the lines in East Lancashire surely would pay dividends. On the Bolton Clitheroe line why not do what they did on the Kilmarnock Glasgow line and install a dynamic loop and increase services to 2 trains an hour? Surely a dynamic loop would not cost as much to install? Another thing that should be looked at is not just installing the knitting as far as Bolton but extend it to Clitheroe, that way their would be no need to use diesel units beyond Bolton, the advantage being the Manchester Bolton - Preston (via Lostock Junction) Clitheroe being all electric traction.
SELRAP will not get their way and there will not be a direct route to Skipton.The fact is there isn't the money nor the political will to carry it out, plus the commercial case for such an outlay would be very difficult to substantiate.
I'm afraid the same can be said of electrification as far as Clitheroe,it will never happen,the very best we could hope for,would be redoubling the pinch points on the Bolton to Blackurn stretch and perhaps,and some would argue more crucially,the Daisyfield curve....