PLANS for a commuter railway station on the edge of the congested city of York could become a reality in a couple of years.

Details of the local authority's latest proposal for a new railway station at Haxby have been sent to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA).

Plans for the station were put on hold earlier this year when the SRA suspended funding for a number of local rail schemes.

But officials are now hopeful that the proposals may get the go-ahead and, if agreed, Haxby station could be operational as early as 2006.

The station could form part of the TransPennine network, offering direct trains to York, Leeds, Manchester and Scarborough.

Stations at Strensall and York District Hospital are planned in a second phase.