“I WAS sceptical, now I’m a believer.”

That’s the view of Wantage MP Ed Vaizey on the likelihood of a train station reopening near the town after he held high-level talks with the Association of Train Operating Companies.

Now Mr Vaizey is calling for a grass roots campaign to pressure transport bosses to see the project through.

Wantage Road station closed during a cost-cutting drive in the 1960s. The station sat alongside the A338, just north of Grove.

A report by Atoc in July included the station on a list of seven it was looking at reopening.

The MP said: “The reopening of the station has been something people have been sceptical for years, but following my talks with Atoc I have gone from thinking it was almost impossible to becoming a believer.

“Local people want the station, but in the past things have never really got going to bring it to reality.

“I want to start a campaign to make it happen and will make it clear to the Department of Transport and Network Rail that I’ve put my support behind it.”

Atoc says there is a strong business case for a £4m investment programme at the site. The station would be funded by local councils, Network Rail and train operators.

A high-speed hourly service would run between Swindon andPaddington, stopping at Wantage Road.

It would operate on the line currently used by trains currently delivering coal to Didcot power station. It is set to be freed up by 2015 when the power station becomes coal-free.

Hassard Stacpoole from Atoc, said: “People need a station as the A34 is so badly clogged up. But it won’t happen overnight.

“Our target date is 2017.”

Network Rail spokesman Russell Spink said: “Any expansion schemes would need to demonstrate a solid business case.”

wantage@oxfordmail.co.uk