Wootton Bassett could see its railway station, which closed in the 1960s, re-opened within five years, a report has revealed.

A timetable has been set out to achieve the restoration project and the initiative is to be discussed at Wednesday's Wiltshire County Council environment and transport committee meeting.

Councillors will be asked to give the go-ahead to spend £20,000 on a feasibility study for the scheme and set up talks between the council and other parties involved in finding a suitable site for the station.

Those parties include North Wiltshire District Council, which is also set to invest £20,000 into the study, Railtrack and potential rail operators, such as First Great Western.

County councillor Mollie Groom (Wootton Bassett North and the Lydiards) said the meeting could represent a big step forward for the project.

"This station is much needed in Wootton Bassett and everyone seems to be behind it," she said. "It would be an enormous advantage to the town and would improve traffic problems no end.

The backing of Railtrack is crucial. Once that is achieved, possible locations for the station can be discussed.

Once a preferred site is agreed, then two studies to assess the demand for the station and the feasibility of building it and linking it with the rail network can begin.

The demand survey could begin by next April and is expected to take six months.

The other study would be launched on the back of that and would also take six months.

Funding would then be sought over 2002 and a year later a planning application could be submitted.

In 2004, the station could be built and it could open by January 2005.