NORTH Yorkshire councillors have been urged to protect from redevelopment the routes of redundant railways which could be used again.

David Fanaroff, senior countryside officer with the Countryside Agency, was addressing a public meeting of a county council environmental services scrutiny committee on Thursday of last week as it considered the findings of a research group which looked at rail passenger services in the county.

Mr Fanaroff said the Countryside Agency was about to publish an audit of 20 disused lines in Yorkshire and Humberside which could be worth investigation for possible reopening.

He told the committee: "A number are in North Yorkshire, or connect with North Yorkshire, and it is important that you are able to give due consideration to supporting that long term future work by making sure those lines which could be reopened are protected from development by houses.

"Time and resources should be put into studies of lines which could be reopened."

The committee was told that a study into reopening the line between Northallerton, Ripon and Harrogate, closed in 1967, was already being taken forward by the county council in collaboration with the Countryside Agency, Ripon City Partnership and Ripon Railway Reinstatement Association. It was envisaged that consultants would be appointed in June.

The county council was also involved in studies into reopening the nine-mile line between Malton and Pickering, the southern terminus of the North York Moors Railway.

A feasibility study in 2001 concluded that there were no physical reasons why the route could not be reopened, giving an estimated cost of £19m.

Money would no longer available from the Strategic Rail Authority for a passenger demand study and, while alternative funding sources were being investigated, the county council had commissioned consultants to update the costs of the project.

But Coun Michael Knaggs told the committee: "The feeling in Malton and Pickering is that if we are going to throw big money around like this it should be to upgrade the A64 road."

Scott Handley, chief executive of Wensleydale Railway plc, said the company hoped soon to start operating passenger trains on the 22-mile freight-only line between Northallerton and Redmire, running initially from Leeming Bar to Leyburn. It was hoped to extend from Redmire to Aysgarth.

He told the committee: "Things are not as miserable as they look in the rail industry. It will be the biggest rail reinstatement project when we restart passenger services, with 22 miles more passenger line. North Yorkshire has a new registered train operating company."

Mr Handley stressed that high quality was needed across the board, in both main line and feeder services.

* The founder of a group aiming to reinstate the 25-mile stretch of railway line between Harrogate and Northallerton via Ripon has expressed delight that the scheme is gathering a new head of steam.

Chairman of Ripon Railway Reinstatement Association Adrian Morgan welcomed news that North Yorkshire County Council will soon seek consultants to carry out a passenger demand test for the old line.

Mr Morgan formed the Ripon restoration group 15 years ago because, seeing rails potential in boosting not only tourism but also trade and travel for commuters.

"I think Ripon has suffered as a result of not having a railway line now," he said.

Mr Morgan said his association was "very encouraged" by what was happening and warmly welcomed the Countryside Agency's decision to provide a 50pc grant towards the feasibility study.

He expressed the hope that Ripon would also get behind the push for reinstatement because of benefits flowing from the project.

Though rail lines have long since disappeared, Mr Morgan said the track bed was still in place and in quite good condition. Very few structures had been removed, said Mr Morgan.