A £2M plan to resurrect Chandler's Ford railway station and encourage hundreds of commuters to switch from road to rail is firmly on track.

The Daily Echo can now reveal what the station - likely to be on line for the start of the summer timetable in May - will look like.

Plans to reconstruct the railway station were approved by Hampshire County Council leader Councillor Ken Thornber.

Work could begin in November if the Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) bid, put together by the county council and South West Trains, for a new rail link via the Chandler's Ford station is successful.

The bid to the Strategic Rail Authority is for backing for the proposed service from Romsey to Totton via Eastleigh and Southampton, calling at Chandler's Ford, Eastleigh, Southampton Parkway, Swaythling, St Denys, Southampton Central, Millbrook and Redbridge.

If work starts in November then the first passengers could be boarding trains in time for the start of the summer timetable.

A preliminary design for the new station has been completed which includes the rebuilding of one of the platforms, a new station building, a 50-space car park, parking for 40 bicycles and the construction of a footbridge between Bampton Court and the station building.

The new facility is expected to be a big attraction for those living in the Chandler's Ford commuter belt.

Commenting on the scheme, Cllr Thornber said: "It is estimated that there would be 700 to 1,000 passenger movements per day from Chandler's Ford, comparing well to Hedge End station which has 600 passenger movements each day."

He added: "The re-opening of the Chandler's Ford railway station is an important element in the county council's future transport plan as we want to encourage more people to use other forms of transport to the private car.

"We believe our plans for the station will provide an attractive and secure facility for passengers which will meet their needs from the outset.

"I am confident that the station will be a real asset to the local community.

"There are more than 20,000 people living within one and a half miles of the railway station."