Baschurch rail campaigners to pay for expert study

Multi-million pound plans to reopen a rural Shropshire railway station after more than 50 years of closure were back on track today as campaigners vowed to commission fresh research on the plans.

Campaigners' efforts to reopen Baschurch Railway Station were dealt a blow in August when Shropshire Council said it could not justify paying out thousands of pounds for a fresh feasibility study on the proposal.

But now campaigners who have been calling for the station's return say they are set to commission their own study from a public transport consultant.

Steve Boulding, spokesman for Baschurch Station Group, said they needed to raise about £2,000 for the study, which would identify the cost-benefit ratio of the scheme.

He said: "It's our intention to commission a professional public transport consultant to do a study. If it shows there is a benefit to reopening the station, and we believe it will, we will throw down the gauntlet to the authorities to say we have proved the business case for the project."

He added the cost of the study looks set to be met by campaigners, individuals and businesses. The overall cost of reopening the station could reach £3.5 million. Campaigners say the station, which closed as part of the Beeching cuts in 1960, could reopen to meet increasing demand.

Shropshire Council said it would look at the merits of completing a new feasibility study into the scheme in 2014 when the next round of Network Rail infrastructure funding is due to be considered.

By Tom Johannsen