Angry South Craven councillors put up strong opposition to donating funds to the proposed re-opening of Cross Hills railway station.

At a Craven council meeting on Wednesday, members refus-ed to hand over £10,000 tow-ards the cost of a feasibility study of the station. They said they would support the study in principle but would not help pay for it. Members felt Rail-track should fund the study as it would be carrying out the study.

Cllr William Bradley said: "I think it's pointless opening up a new station in Cross Hills until the train fares are sorted out because at the moment people drive to Steeton and Silsden station because they know the fare will be cheaper, as the station is in West Yorkshire (and thereby subsidised by Metro)."

A draft brief for a feasibility study for Cross Hills station has been produced by Railtrack and it has estimated that the study would cost £42,000. The study has been estimated to take five or six months to complete.

Officer Sian Watson pointed out that Glusburn parish council, when asked to give £500 towards the cost of the feasibility study, had refused because it felt that Railtrack should pay.

She said the study would look at the physical infrastructure relating to the station being opened and this would include platform sizes, health and safety measures, electrification, signalling, access and a traffic-impact assessment.

Glusburn councillor Ian Bannister said: "The information suggests that the rail fares in West and North Yorkshire would come together so that those in West Yorkshire would rise and those in North Yorkshire would diminish. But that's not a guarantee.

Sutton councillor Ken Hart added: "Not everybody from South Craven can get down to Steeton and Silsden or Cononley railway stations, and if you try and catch a bus to them you will know why. They need transport because they don't have cars and the Government is trying to get cars off the road."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.