I WRITE in response to Simon Jobling (Letters, August 8) in which he requested more information on plans for a railway station in Haxby.

I am pleased to report that the situation has progressed considerably since the 2002 article quoted by Mr Jobling. In fact, if all goes well, the station could be operational again in about two years' time.

City of York Council has now demonstrated a sound business and transport case for re-opening the station on the original site and rail company First has expressed an interest in calling at the station as part of its Trans Pennine Network which serves Scarborough, York, Leeds and the north west.

We are now in discussion with the Strategic Rail Authority, the Department for Transport (Rail) and Network Rail to take the scheme forward. To date, these talks have been very positive.

The station will be part-financed by a third party. A bid for the remainder of the funding was submitted at the end of July to the Department for Transport as part of the council's Local Transport Plan submission.

The outcome of this bid will be known in December. Should it be successful, the station could be operational as early as October 2007.

Matthew Ward,

Transport Planner,

City of York Council,

St Leonard's Place, York.

Updated: 11:19 Friday, August 12, 2005