STRONG response to an online survey has given community rail group TransWilts hope that its bid to re-open Corsham railway station is on track.

It had more than 700 responses to its survey about who might use it, equivalent to 3.5 per cent of Corsham's population.

The station closed 50 years ago and since then campaigners have been putting their efforts into trying to get it back up and running and demand is still high, as the survey results show that 98 per cent of respondents living in and around the town would use it.

A total of 82 per cent also said they would rely on it to commute to work with the most popular destinations being Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads and 40 per cent said they would use the station three or more times a week.

For leisure the top two destinations to travel to from Corsham were voted as London Paddington which took 37 per cent of the share of votes and Bath Spa which took 31 per cent.

With the results, an economic case will be presented to the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership, who will put the findings to the government as part of a strategic plan to seek some of the millions of pounds it would cost to fund.

Chair of TransWilts Paul Johnson said: “The survey has exceeded almost double the point where statistically we may be confident in the results.

“The new First Great Western franchise has been awarded to 2019, so using the survey results, we will be able to continue discussions regarding a potential service between Bristol and Swindon, once the line is electrified in 2018. The service could form a first phase of a Bristol-Oxford service.”

MP for the Chippenham constituency Michelle Donelan added: “Now that I am elected as the local Member of Parliament, I am in a position to ensure that Corsham station is not left out of the investment made in rail over the next five years.”