RAILWAY bosses are considering re-opening a disused line running from Cheltenham to Stratford-on-Avon.

Plans to restore the Honeybourne Line, which links the town centre to Bishop's Cleeve, Winchcombe, Toddington and Broadway, have been included in Network Rail's route utilisation strategy.

The move marks the first time that hopes to re-open the route, aired regularly since it closed in 1976, have been included in official documents.

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said there are still obstacles to be overcome before the line can become a reality.

She said: "This is an aspiration rather than a definite plan at this stage. The inclusion of the line in the route utilisation strategy shows there is a demand for it.

"But the scheme providers – the people who want it – really need to do something more concrete before it can happen.

"They need to put together a business case showing how it could be funded, how many people would use it and how feasible the idea is."

Re-opening the Honeybourne Line has been suggested by several bodies in the past.

In June 2007, Cheltenham's Chamber of Commerce advocated changing it into a community railway and a similar action was discussed as part of the Regional Spatial Strategy proposals.

In December 2008, business leaders in the town called for a tram service to be constructed along the line to provide a link between Cheltenham Racecourse and the railway station.

The plans included in the route utilisation strategy envisage a line capable of carrying freight as well as passengers – mirroring a scheme proposed by Hugh Roberts, director of Cheltenham's PWH Chartered Surveyors, last year.

The surveyor hopes a mix of private investment and Government backing could fund the multi-million pound scheme.

It would mean relaying all of the track and making massive changes to the town centre's infrastructure, including the removal of the Jubilee Bridge over Honeybourne Way.

By re-opening the line to Stratford-on-Avon, trains would be able to reach Birmingham, Worcester, Oxford and London without travelling on the existing line from Cheltenham Spa to Birmingham New Street.

The track would run through a number of villages in Cheltenham's commuter belt and Mr Roberts predicted it would double the number of people coming to work in the town by rail.

He said: "It is extremely important that it has now been included in the route utilisation strategy because it shows there is a need for this line to be relaid.

"The fact it is there means that, although we cannot say it will happen soon, we can be almost certain it will re-open at some point."

Mark Coote, Cheltenham's Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate, backed Mr Roberts when he first proposed the scheme.

He said: "I want to draw attention to the opportunity we have here.

"What I am saying is, let's talk about it."

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood said he backed the idea in principle, but worried residents in homes near the line may be affected by freight trains.

He said: "The idea is very welcome, but I would have thought residents whose homes have been built since the railway was closed will not be happy."