HUNDREDS of people in Corsham have backed the continuing fight for a train station in the town.

The figures come in the week government transport minister David Jamieson confirmed the Strategic Rail Authority's decision to axe the Bristol to Oxford line would not be reversed.

A delegation met up with the minister in London on Monday, including representatives from the Corsham Station campaign, Wiltshire County Council, North Wiltshire District Council and North Wiltshire MP James Gray.

Corsham Station campaigner Anne Lock said the meeting was constructive and reiterated the need to continue the fight, with plans to lobby First Great Western into including local services in a 2006 franchise bid.

More than 500 people responded to a survey in Corsham with 349 people saying they would use the station on a daily or weekly basis if it were reopened.

Mrs Lock said university students, Ministry of Defence workers and car commuters would all benefit greatly from a station.

Hundreds of people moving onto new housing estates in Pockeridge and Potley could also boost the need for a train link to Swindon and Bristol.

Seasoned campaigner Mrs Lock, who has battled for 17 years to reopen the station, said she is making plans for the future.

"I will be setting up a meeting with all the groups and the authorities affected by this decision," she said.

"The SRA decision has not only affected our own local transport plan but that of BANES and Bristol.

"We need to talk to First Great Western in order to look at how we can open a local service to run between Swindon and Bristol.

"I feel the response to our campaign survey is indicative of the need and enthusiasm surrounding the reopening of the station."

Mrs Lock said she wants to meet MoD bosses at Filton Abbey Wood to stress the importance of a station for employees living in Corsham. Ministers promised money for a station when MoD jobs were transferred from Corsham to Bristol but Mrs Lock said the employees had been "badly let down".

MP James Gray said he was pleased the minister had given them some encouragement.

He said: "What we now need to do is persuade possible train operators of the demand for rail services from Corsham and try to make sure they include services stopping at those stations in their franchise bids."

A spokesman for North Wiltshire District Council said dreams of a station were far from quashed.