A NEW rail line linking Braintree with Stansted Airport could be back on the cards.

Essex County Council deputy leader Kevin Bentley has revealed officers are looking into the possibility of reintroducing train links between the east and west of Essex.

It comes amid a Government pledge to pump £500 million into Britain’s railways and improve transport links across the country.

When asked what County Hall was doing to ensure Essex sees some of that money, Mr Bentley said officers have undertaken a review of projects thought to be seeking funding and an initial review into reopening closed lines in the county.

He said: “The Government has announced further funding into rail links, we have no east-west rail links in Essex.

“We use to have and I have already asked officers to start looking at that, particularly the connection between the east and Stansted Airport, as well as a connection running down to the south of the county.”

One option would be to reopen the former railway line between Braintree and Bishop’s Stortford.

The line was single track with passing loops at Bishop’s Stortford, Dunmow, Takeley, Rayne and Braintree.

There were goods sidings at Hockerill Halt, Takeley and Easton Lodge to supply US Air Force bases at Stansted and Easton Lodge, and at Dunmow and Felsted for use by the sugarbeet factory as well as general use, and at Rayne.

The line closed to passengers in 1952, but remained open for freight before closing completely in 1972.

The Witham and Braintree Rail Users Association has suggested a new line would most likely run between Braintree and Stansted Airport.

The group’s feasibility report carried out into the proposals in 2009 suggested the new line would run parallel with the A120, with new stations built at Braintree and Dunmow.

The report found the best option would be to divert the branch line at Braintree Village shopping outlet and run around the west of Braintree due to increased development in the town.

Chairman David Bigg said: “We certainly welcome the news.

“We have raised the idea from time to time but have been told it would be too expensive.

“We estimate it would cost about £2 million per mile, but that could well have changed since our last report.

“We would really support this and would be fully behind it.

“It’s vital because we have a growing population and there are big developments planned in the area, like the one at West Tey.

“It would provide greater employment opportunities for people because of the link with Stansted Airport and offer an alternative rail link to London which would really help when there are issues on the mainline.

“We would be happy to help the county council because it can’t come soon enough.”