Kenilworth station: Government funds for trains by 2016

Kenilworth railway station is expected to cost £11.3m to build

Plans to reintroduce a railway station to a town which lost its rail link in the 1960s have been given final government approval.

The Department for Transport has announced it will give £5m towards the £11.3m railway station in Kenilworth.

It said it hoped local services between Coventry, Kenilworth and Leamington Spa could start in December 2016.

These could be followed by rail services between Kenilworth and Birmingham in 2019.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "This will provide real benefits both to passengers and to local businesses, providing improved connectivity across the West Midlands and to London and helping create jobs."

After years of campaigning, the latest was submitted in February and received government support a few months later.

The remaining money needed for the project will come from Warwickshire County Council.

The station will be on Priory Road in Kenilworth

Train operator London Midland said it expects to provide local services to the town.

CrossCountry Trains said it supports the station plans but has not made any local service decisions.

The town has had a long running campaign to rebuild its station. The old one was demolished after the line was closed in 1965, under the Beeching axe when many local lines across the country shut.

Kerrie Milburn, 38, of Coventry said she would definitely make use of the service.

"Kenilworth does seem exceptionally cut off and far away from other stations. It's the ideal place for shopping so it make sense," she said.

Anne Whitehouse, 75, of Kenilworth said: "Can you believe it? We've been waiting for a station almost since the old one closed in the 60s."