IT IS full steam ahead for Middlewich Railway Steering Group as the wheels are set in motion to reopen the town’s station.

The steering group has appointed The Railway Consultancy Ltd to carry out a detailed study to assess the potential for upgrading the Sandbach to Northwich line for passenger services.

The plans would include a new station in Middlewich next to the Masonic Hall, in Holmes Chapel Road.

Stephen Dent, assistant town clerk, said this was the first stage of a lengthy process, but the future was looking positive.

“This is definitely the furthest we have ever been with this for a long while,” he said.

It is hoped the scheme may become a priority for the new Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester councils, which take over all local government services in April.

Christine Garner, Cheshire County Council’s principle transportation officer, said: “The information, which will be produced by the study, will provide vital evidence to the new Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester Councils to help them determine whether the project should be treated as a priority in the next Local Transport Plans – work on which will be starting in 2009.”

The study has to prove that there is a demand for a station and the ultimate intention is to provide a regular passenger service between Crewe and Manchester, via Sandbach, Middlewich, Northwich, Knutsford and Altrincham.

David Horstead, from Cheshire and Warrington Economic Alliance (CWEA), said: “A railway link to Middlewich would provide much needed additional public transport to the area, which is essential to enable Cheshire and Warrington residents to take advantage of job opportunities in Middlewich and Middlewich residents to take advantage of opportunities elsewhere in the sub-region.”

Currently more than 50 per cent of Middlewich residents commute out of the town by car and it is the largest town in Cheshire – with a population of 13,000 – not to have a station.

The re-opening of the line to passenger traffic has been a long-standing ambition for the people of Middlewich since it closed in 1960, and now it finally looks like there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

The study will be carried out over the coming weeks, with a final report expected by the end of March.