THE campaign to restore Wootton Bassett's rail link gained momentum last week when Wiltshire County councillors backed proposals for a feasibility study.

The environment and transport committee proposes allocating £20,000 for a research project in 2001/02.

This support was welcomed by Coun Mollie Groom who represents the county council on a North Wiltshire District working party to promote providing a Wootton Bassett railway station.

The town has been without rail transport since the mid-1960s and the original station has been demolished.

County officers said siting a replacement may be hampered by Railtrack's plan to build a grade separated junction near the old station yard.

Wootton Bassett is on the main line for high speed trains between Paddington and the west of England, and Coun Peter Davis pointed out the complexity of organising local transport links.

Coun Groom told the committee she has heard from James Gray MP Wootton Bassett is on John Prescott's list of stations expected to be re-opened.

Coun Toby Sturgis warned against raising false hopes. "It is a very major engineering job, but I am in favour of getting our bid in," he said.

The county's director of environmental services has been instructed to consult with Railtrack, potential train operators and North Wiltshire District Council.

A suitable site for a Wootton Bassett station will have to be identified, along with a survey to find out how many people would use a local rail service.

Coun Groom said: "It is encouraging to have got over the first hurdle on what is going to be a long trek."

The earliest date for a Wootton Bassett station to be opened would be 2005.

Members noted that trains would offer an attractive alternative to the car for some journeys.

Coun Groom commented later: "Long term, perhaps a station might be coupled with a park and ride to offer an intergrated transport centre connecting routes from all parts."

First Great Western, which has agreed to stop its hourly Bristol to Oxford service at Corsham, says there is no objection in principle to a stop at Wootton Bassett.

However, it has dismissed any idea of the service being extended to high speed trains, and will insist on research evidence to find out that a service would prove viable.

Wootton Bassett might also be served by a new service between Warminster, Frome and Swindon via Melksham subject of a recent county council study.

Prism Rail, which operates the Wales and West franchise, includes a variation of this in its plans for a new Wessex rail franchise which could commence in April next year. It proposes a Southampton to Swindon service via Warminster, Westbury, Trowbridge and Melksham, with seven trains a day in each direction.

The successful bidder for this franchise will be approached regarding a stop at Wootton Bassett.

Railtrack's plans for Wootton Bassett junction, scheduled for 2010, will involve a rail flyover at the divergence of the Bristol and South Wales main lines, south of the town. The implications of this work will need to be explored before a station site is selected.