A campaign has been launched to get a rail link for two commuter villages.

Calverley councillor Andrew Carter (Pudsey North) wants to get the old Calverley-Rodley station re-opened.

Metro - which oversees and funds the public transport network across West Yorkshire - has already launched a feasibility study to look at it.

Coun Carter, who heads Leeds Council's Conservative Group, has organised a meeting with West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority chairman Councillor Mick Lyons to try to win his support.

The station, which was shut in the 1960s, had suffered because of a lack of parking space. But Coun Carter said there was enough spare land nearby to create a park-and- ride scheme next to it.

Now he is calling on people living in the Calverley, Rodley and South Horsforth area who would use it to write to Metro in support.

"We need to let Metro and those in charge of our public transport system know how serious we are about wanting that station up and running again," he said.

"With the Leeds Supertram scheme looking as though it's still a long way off from happening, we have to revisit fixed rail and use what we already have - the Calverley line is already there."

He also criticised plans being looked at to re-open the station at Kirkstall, saying it was too close to Leeds city centre to be practical.

"What's the point of opening up Kirkstall?," he said.

"There's no use in driving almost into the city centre then parking up and getting on a train for a short hop into the centre. Money would be much better spent on opening railway stations further out - like Calverley. It would also relieve traffic congestion."

Metro said Calverley was one of 30 locations where it wants to see new stations.

A spokesman said: "We are aware that there is significant support for the development of a station in Calverley.

"This will be taken into account when we draw up the next batch of stations for consideration by the Passenger Transport Authority later this year.

"To develop new stations, Metro does need to secure investment from the Strategic Rail Authority, which currently faces budget shortfall of more than £300million over the next three years.

"We will however continue to make West Yorkshire's case with the SRA to ensure that its interests are recognised at a national level."