Bid to re-open Haxby Station takes step forward

City of York Council has applied to the Department for Transport’s New Stations Fund with the hope of making proposals to re-open Haxby Station a reality.

Last month the council leaders announced plans to put £50,000 towards researching the plan and creating a business case for opening the station.

There have been numerous attempts to reopen a station in the town in recent years, including a bid for funding from Network Rail in 2013. At the time, the council said there were more than 22,000 people living within three miles of the proposed station who would benefit from faster links to York, Leeds and Manchester.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Haxby and Wigginton Ward, Coin Ed Pearson, said residents “overwhelmingly” in favour of a new station for Haxby, with 90 per cent of respondents to a recent survey backing the idea.

He said: “Haxby station has been talked about for decades, and successive governments

have failed to deliver it. This station proposal has cross-party support, we have demonstrated there is a robust and viable business case, and local residents are strongly in favour.

“It is now time for the Conservative Government to step up to their promise for investment in the North of England.”

Coun Ian Cuthbertson, Haxby and Wigginton Ward added: ““The consultation responses did reveal that there are a number of localised concerns about traffic and parking issues that a new station might cause, so we will work hard as these plans develop further to ensure these concerns are properly addressed.

“Respondents also pointed out the benefits of a new station at Haxby for reducing traffic into York, and the improved connectivity and commuting opportunities that it would provide.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said two other bids had been received for stations in Yorkshire, but it could not reveal further details due to commercial sensitivity.

She added: “We have received a bid for the proposed new station at Haxby. This will now be assessed along with all of the other nominated stations, three of which are in Yorkshire.”