AMBITIOUS plans to open railway stations at Haxby and Strensall were announced in 1997. The first, at Haxby, could be up and running by the year 2000, we were told.

Those were heady times. A new Government, full of promises on public transport investment and traffic-busting schemes, made it feel like a new era was about to dawn on Britain's railways.

Five years on, we are older and wiser. New Labour has failed to make significant progress on transport. Railtrack has been put into administration.

Plans for other railway stations at the York District Hospital and Copmanthorpe were shunted into the sidings, and for a while it looked as though the Haxby and Strensall stations might go the same way.

But thanks to City of York Council, we now have a date for the opening of these stations: 2005.

Only the council's determination has got us this far down the line. The plans have been beset by problems outside its control. Key staff at train operator Arriva Trains Northern left, then Arriva bosses' attention was diverted by the industrial dispute.

Meanwhile, Railtrack declined to build the stations, despite its main responsibility being rail infrastructure.

There are more obstacles to overcome. Foremost among these is the wrangle over any future timetable.

But by setting a date for the opening of Haxby and Strensall stations, the council has signalled its intent to make them happen.

Councillors are right to persevere. Hundreds of commuters are expected to make use of the new rail services, taking more cars off York's congested roads.

We have criticised the council's policy to freeze the number of city car parking spaces before adequate public transport was in place.

Today we know the commuters of Haxby and Strensall will have a viable alternative to the car in three years' time.

This is definite progress.

Updated: 10:42 Monday, September 02, 2002