▁on ▁both ▁the ▁A ired ale ▁Line ▁and ▁the ▁regional ▁routes ▁to ▁Lanc aster ▁& ▁Carl is le . ▁ ▁Im prov ements ▁on ▁the ▁latter ▁two ▁routes ▁are ▁due ▁to ▁be ▁implemented ▁at ▁the ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁tim et able ▁change . ▁Northern ▁also ▁commission ed ▁automatic ▁ticket ▁gates ▁at ▁the ▁station ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁long ▁term , ▁SE LR AP ▁may ▁achieve ▁their ▁a ims ▁of ▁re open ing ▁the ▁line ▁to ▁Col ne , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁possible ▁that ▁the ▁Em bs ay ▁and ▁Bol ton ▁Ab bey ▁Ste am ▁Railway ▁would ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁extend ▁their ▁services ▁to ▁Ski pton ▁in ▁future . ▁Both ▁of ▁these ▁plans ▁would ▁likely ▁result ▁in ▁many ▁changes ▁to ▁the ▁station . ▁ ▁Em bs ay ▁and ▁Bol ton ▁Ab bey ▁Ste am ▁Railway ▁Since ▁pres ervation , ▁it ▁has ▁always ▁been ▁a ▁long - term ▁plan ▁for ▁the ▁preserved ▁Em bs ay ▁and ▁Bol ton ▁Ab bey ▁Ste am ▁Railway ▁to ▁extend ▁into ▁Ski pton . ▁ ▁The ▁platforms ▁( 5 ▁& ▁ 6 ) ▁that ▁went ▁to ▁Il k ley , ▁were ▁made ▁redundant ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁However , ▁in ▁the ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁edition ▁of ▁railway ▁Today ' s ▁Rail ways ▁UK , ▁it ▁was ▁stated ▁that ▁Network ▁Rail ▁had ▁carried ▁out ▁a ▁survey ▁for ▁the ▁re inst at ement ▁of ▁the ▁connecting ▁points ▁between ▁the ▁Em bs ay ▁line ▁and ▁the ▁fre