Sir – I welcome Ed Vaizey’s declaration of support for the proposed new station at Grove (Report, November 12), following the favourable report from ATOC. Gradually we are getting there but why do we have to wait until 2017 for the station to be built?

In January 1998, Oxfordshire County Council published its plans for a new station at Wantage Road which it hoped could be opened in 2000. However, the county’s bid for funding was rejected by the Government, but the station remained in the county council’s transport plan and the Vale of White Horse District Council granted outline planning permission in 2007.

Speaking for ATOC, Hassard Stacpoole said that the benefit/cost ratio for the new station would be 3.8 to one, which is very good, but this probably errs on the cautious side. Since the opening of new train services to Alloa and Ebbw Vale the number of passengers is more than double what was forecast. With all the new housing development planned for Grove and Wantage and increased road congestion and the rising cost of motoring, the new station at Grove will attract thousands of passengers.

I would disagree with the county council spokesman, Marcus Mabberley, when he says that “the final decision lies with the rail industry”. The final decision for the future development of rail transport lies with the Department for Transport, not with “here today and gone tomorrow” train companies who are only looking for short-term profits.

The DfT has decided that the Great Western main line should be electrified and Grove station ought to be included as part of the scheme. As a postscript, the ATOC report also suggests that it would be worth studying the feasibility of restoring rail services to Witney.

Martin Smith, Committee member, Railfuture, Thames Valley Branch