THE dream of reopening a railway station at Haxby finally looks set to become a reality.

City of York Council is submitting a renewed bid to the Government for funding towards a £3.75 million station project.

The council has revealed a developer is willing to stump up £1.5 million towards the costs.

Councillors are hoping for a funding decision from the Department for Transport by late this year and, subject to planning permission, aim for the station to open by 2007.

That would be more than 12 years after plans to reopen the station were first mooted.

Coun Ann Reid, executive member for transport, pictured, said a new station was finally becoming a reality. "We have support from the Government Office to progress the bid, First Transpennine Express are lined up to run the service and a 3rd party operator is willing to part fund the scheme," she said.

She believed the new station would make a major contribution towards tackling congestion and pollution on York's roads.

"Because Haxby residents would not have to go to York Station to access rail services, it is estimated 83,000 road journeys to the station would be saved each year," she said.

She added that it was estimated that 211,000 rail journeys could be made to York and Leeds from Haxby, with over half of those passengers new to rail travel.

A spokesman for First Transpennine Express said the station could serve trains on the York-Scarborough route. He said the company was supportive of the Haxby station proposals, provided they represented a sound business proposition.

The company revealed earlier this year that it had been in discussions with the council about the possibility of trains calling at Haxby, believing there was a demand from passengers who would travel in to York and then on to Leeds and Manchester, as well as people heading for the east coast.

The council says that exceptional bid for funding for the station is being submitted to the Government, along with York's Local Transport Plan 2.

A report to councillors said the feasibility of a number of railway stations in the area had been investigated, and Haxby using a location next to the original station site represented the best railway case.

It said a business case which complied with Strategic Railway Authority requirements had been prepared for the station, which would contribute to the Government's priorities "by providing a high quality sustainable alternative to the private car."

Meanwhile, the council has revealed it is also working in partnership with neighbouring authorities to examine the potential for significant improvements to rail services between York, Harrogate and Leeds, allowing for greater reliability, punctuality and capacity.

Officers expect a further major bid for funding towards such improvements will be made at a later date.

:: Group to study rail project

CAMPAIGNERS looking to open a rail route between York and Beverley have called for a steering group to be set up to help co-ordinate the project.

Members of the Minsters' Rail Campaign say that getting all interested groups together might help progress the £240 million project to relaunch a passenger line on the route between the two Minster areas.

The project was given a huge boost by East Riding of Yorkshire Council which has now pledged its commitment to the scheme.

Philip Taylor, of the campaign, said City of York Council had a vitally important role to play if the route - which the group believes will cut traffic congestion on the A1079 Hull Road is ever to become a reality.

Updated: 10:45 Saturday, July 30, 2005