A MOTION passed by a council to try and find a source of external funding for a railway feasibility study has seemingly hit the buffers, claim LibDem councillors.

And with no movement apparently being made by Herefordshire Council, the political group say they have stepped in and produced their own draft proposals for funding and commissioning a study into the possibility of trains returning to Ross-on-Wye on a restored Hereford to Gloucester link.

In an open letter sent to Cllr Philip Price, the cabinet member responsible for the work, Ross Councillor Louis Stark asked for an update on progress and offered a draft set of terms of reference.

"I don't believe the administration has lifted a finger on this project in the past two months" Cllr Stark said.

"An interested party with experience in a similar project contacted me with a suggested draft terms of reference.

“I thought it might give Cllr Price the nudge he needs. We won't get any sense of whether the government or private investors will be interested in supporting a feasibility study unless we can show them what the study will cover.

“That's what the terms of reference cover. This motion was passed by a clear majority. It is council policy and it is the administration's job to deliver council policy."

Calls for a new rail link between Gloucester and Hereford were made in March as new housing has increased in Hereford, Ross and Gloucester, with many thousands anticipated to move in over the coming years.

The Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway was closed to passengers in November 1964 before being dismantled during the Beeching cuts.

Herefordshire Council were asked to comment.