THE reopening of an 11-mile stretch of railway at a cost of £40m would be economically viable, according to experts.

JMP Consultants published its report into plans to reopen the line between Harrogate and Ripon, in North Yorkshire, yesterday.

It estimates the single track line could attract between 1,200 and 2,500 passengers per day and generate more than £2m a year.

But the Leeds consultants concluded that there was not a case to support reopening the line further north - to Northallerton and Thirsk.

It said: "We consider it unlikely that sufficient strategic benefits for the East Coast Main Line can be identified that would offset the additional capital costs of extending northwards."

Consultants put the cost of reopening the line to Northallerton at £93.5m.

John Coulson, who represents Northallerton east on North Yorkshire County Council, said: "It would be very expensive to bring it back into Northallerton.

"So many bridges have gone and there are so many developments now on the rail line so I can see the problems and the expense.

"I think we are well catered for already."

Passenger services on the former railway between Harrogate, Ripon, Melmerby and Northallerton were withdrawn in March 1967 as part of a purge on loss-making branch lines by the then Transport Minister Dr Charles Beeching.

Last year, the lines were identified as candidates for re-opening by the Countryside Agency, and last October JMP was appointed to investigate.

The consultants carried out face-to-face interviews and sent out a total of 8,000 postal questionnaires as part of its research.

The study was jointly funded by the Countryside Agency, North Yorkshire County Council and Ripon City Partnership.

David Fanaroff, senior countryside advisor at the agency, said: "This study has given a positive indication that a sufficient number of people would use a rail line between Harrogate and Ripon to warrant its consideration as an important addition to the Yorkshire and Humber Rail network.

"However, much more work needs to be done over a number of years if this is to become a reality."

The final decision on funding the line will be made by the Strategic Rail Authority, although JMP said that work needed to start now if the target opening date of 2011 or 2012 was to be achieved.