A £19m plan to reinstate the railway between Malton and Pickering has been given cautious support by the North York Moors National Park Authority.

The decision follows warnings that it could have a detrimental effect on the Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The authority agreed to back North Yorkshire County Council's move to have a detailed feasibility study carried out after the council's consultants, Mouchel, said the scheme was possible from an engineering point of view.

Councillor Mike Knaggs said the project could cause problems on the southern approach to Pickering because he believed three crossings would be needed before the line reached the town centre station.

There could be benefits by reinstating the line closed 35 years ago, he said, but there could be problems.

Coun Helen Schroeder the authority's vice-chairman, said that a feasibility study would have special regard to Pickering's infrastructure and environment and its possible adverse effect on the moors railway, which runs from Pickering to Grosmont.

Coun Yeoman Williamson said he was concerned that if the line was renewed, creating a direct link to Whitby, it could threaten the future viability of the Esk Valley line between Whitby and Middlesbrough

Bill Breakell, the park's transport and tourism officer, said reopening the line had the potential to improve the area's traffic and transport problems, enabling tourists to travel by rail instead of car, and for rail freight to be used instead of giant trucks, switching the movement of goods from road to rail.

Much of the original route of the line still exists and only above five kilometres of the route needs restoring.