CAMPAIGNERS are calling for the reinstatement of six miles of railway line between Stratford and Long Marston, and linking it to the Cotswold line at Honeybourne to benefit local residents.

The Stratford-Worcester-Oxford (SWO) group claims the route in South Warwickshire and East Worcestershire, if reinstated, would enable direct train services to operate between Worcester, Evesham, Honeybourne, Stratford, Solihull, and Birmingham. The proposed rail service would provide direct connectivity of 35 minutes between Worcester and Stratford while Evesham to Stratford would see a journey time of just 18 minutes. The service would enable Vale residents at Evesham and Honeybourne to access Birmingham in under one hour. The current best time it takes to travel by rail between Evesham and Birmingham, including the need to change trains at Worcester is 1 hour 20 minutes with many journeys taking longer.

In May last year, Great Western Railway’s MD Mark Hopwood said GWR wanted to provide a Stratford service using and broadening rail services along the Cotswold Line.

Fraser Pithie, a campaigner from the SWO group promoting the railway line's reinstatement, told the Journal: “The benefits for the North Cotswolds, Oxford and Stratford are clear with much-improved connectivity. Re-opening the link between Stratford and Honeybourne would put Evesham to within under an hour from Birmingham, about 45 minutes from Solihull and just under 20 minutes from Stratford.”

A planning inspector re-opened a public inquiry examining Stratford District Council’s Core Strategy on January 19. The inquiry is considering proposals to build a further 3,500 new homes near to Long Marston situated close to the Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire borders. If approved, the further development would mean some 5,900 new homes in total will be constructed on two ex-military brownfield sites adjacent to the disused rail route closed in 1976. At the Inquiry, one of the developers, CALA Homes, publicly repeated an offer of £17 million towards reopening the line which is estimated would cost around £50m.

Campaigners say a reinstated rail line, with a new station at Long Marston providing direct train services to and from Birmingham and Oxford is crucial to reducing the 7,300 additional vehicles the new development is estimated to generate if it goes ahead without any public transport provision. Several Parish Councils have stated their support for reopening of the line including Honeybourne and Pebworth Parish and Evesham Town Councils. Mid-Worcestershire MP Nigel Huddlestone is also backing the scheme, declaring his support for the reopening of the line last year.

Worcester County Council has also stated: “Worcestershire County Council would expect, as part of the optimum solution to the problems of traffic on inadequate rural roads in this particular area, the construction of a new railway station at Long Marston, and works to the existing railway line between Long Marston and Honeybourne to make it suitable for the regular operation of a passenger rail service.”

It is expected that increased usage at Honeybourne Station will re-ignite calls for increased parking spaces for commuters.