CAMPAIGNERS calling for a Hampshire railway line to be reopened are celebrating another declaration of support.

Hythe and Dibden Parish Council is backing an attempt to secure the reintroduction of passenger services on the old Totton to Hythe line.

It follows a similar decision taken by Marchwood Parish Council at the end of last year.

Speaking after the Hythe debate Cllr David Harrison, who represents Marchwood and Totton South, said: "I'm thrilled to see such strong support from the parish councillors.

"I think they appreciate all the benefits that a rail service would bring.

"There are still a lot of details to be worked through, but I genuinely believe we could see a service running within the next three to five years."

Passenger services on the Waterside ended in the 1960s but the track continued to serve Marchwood Military Port and Fawley refinery.

Calls for the line to be reopened have increased since Fawley Waterside unveiled plans to create a small town on the old power station site by building 1,500 homes and a raft of community facilities.

Campaigners say the proposed development, coupled with other housebuilding plans in the area, will cause gridlock on the A326.

Hythe parish councillors agreed to support the project following a presentation by Nick Farthing of the Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership, a not-for-profit group which aims to secure improvements to bus and rail services.

Mr Farthing highlighted the case for reopening the former station at Marchwood and building two new ones - Hythe Town and Hythe and Fawley Parkway.

The latter would be built on the site of the old Hardley Halt, just north of the refinery.

But some of the people living beside the old line say they are horrified at the prospect of passenger trains passing their homes.

Others have complained that the three level crossings in Marchwood would be closed to traffic at regular intervals, creating congestion and delays.

One of two objectors who attended the Hythe meeting said: "It won’t make the slightest bit of difference to the A326 traffic – the number of people who will migrate from cars will be minimal.

"But it will cause massive issues on local roads. If this goes ahead, the gates will close every 15 minutes.”

Parish councillors also heard from Sue Bennison, a Conservative district councillor for Marchwood, who said she had received several emails from worried residents.

“It soon became clear to me that the impact would not be just to those closest to the railway, but to Marchwood as a whole,” she said.