Haxby’s new railway station looks set to be located in Towthorpe Road - despite earlier calls for a more 'logical' site.
The decision follows a ‘speedy review’ of potential locations for the project, now budgeted at £23 million.
In the run up to the local elections, in March this year, new council leader Cllr Claire Douglas said if elected she would press central government for more time to allow for a more ‘logical’ site.
The now-ruling Labour Party has since received briefings from council officers who say pursuing alternative site options is not feasible if the council is to secure much-needed government funding for the scheme to happen.
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This now puts them in line with the former Lib-Dem-led council, who always favoured Towthorpe Road, located north of Haxby.
Council officers have warned a government decision on Haxby Station is due ‘soon’ and delivering it by the end of next year will remain a condition of funding.
Officers have also warned a site near the outer ring road would increase congestion, both on the ring road and through Haxby village.
The council accepts the out-of-Haxby location means the station will depend on car users, but it will seek funding to improve bus and cycle use to it.
But by reducing car use into York, they believe the station will help reduce congestion and improve air quality in the city.
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The overall cost of the station has increased from £15-16 million to £23 million.
City of York Council had been expected to contribute a quarter of the overall cost.
However, the government’s ‘Restoring Your Railway’ programme removes the 25 per cent contribution condition.
The council's current contribution stands at £4.55 million and it is undertsood that any further increases in cost will be the responsibility of the Department for Transport.
Labour Executive member for transport, Cllr Pete Kilbane said: “We have listened to council officers’ advice and concluded that whilst not the perfect location, the current site will deliver a beneficial scheme that helps reduce city centre-bound journeys, within the timescales the Government has set.
“This will require both the Government funding decision and the planning application to be concluded by January next year, if the station is to meet the Government’s own imposed deadline for completion of December 2024. So progress now rests with Network Rail (planning application) and the DfT (funding decision).”
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“We stand ready to support Network Rail and Department for Transport to get this scheme delivered as soon as possible”.
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Haxby and Wigginton Andrew Hollyer said: “We have already seen York Labour backtrack on a number of their key election pledges in record time. Their commitment to review the station location is one pledge we're happy to see them break.
"It was always the case that the only site for a new station for Haxby that was deliverable within the Government's timescales and funding promises was at Towthorpe Road.
"It’s now time for everyone to get fully behind this project and see it delivered in 2024."
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