TRAIN companies want a new £73 million rail link across the heart of the New Forest, the Daily Echo can reveal today.

Under a plan backed by South West Trains it would mean opening two stations and running a line straight through the National Park.

The scheme has been put forward because they expect passenger numbers to soar over the next few years.

Up to £70 million would be ploughed in to creating a station at Ringwood and revamping the track to Brockenhurst.

And on the Waterside the line between Hythe and Totton would be opened to passengers for the first time in years.

That scheme would cost around £3 million because the line is still operational and used by freight trains for industrial use.

The report, penned by the Association of Train Operating Companies, earmarked the two towns as key population centres which currently have no rail services.

Author Chris Austin said the idea could become reality within five to 10 years.

He added: "I think it is quite likely that this will happen - because they both showed up quite well on our financial analysis.

"The benefits of each outweighed the costs - that is why we think more work should be done."

The report suggests that the Hythe line, which last took passengers in 1966, may be linked with the Chandlers Ford service to provide direct links from the Waterside to Southampton, Southampton Airport and Romsey.

That would mean an hourly diesel service, with the potential to develop an electrified line.

Meanwhile, electric trains would run on a single track from Ringwood for the first time in more than 40 years.

But it would mean throwing £70 million in to the scheme to pay for relaying tracks and creating four level crossings over the 18-mile route.

Funding would come from a mixture of cash from private organisations, central government and local authorities.

Mel Kendal, Hampshire County Council's environment boss welcomed moves to open up Hythe to passengers - but warned there would be difficulties rolling out the Ringwood proposal.

He said: "Certainly the Hythe line would be attractive at that price, but whether the Ringwood one is viable at that cost, I don't know.

"We have pushed for the Hythe link for some time so that would be very exciting for us.

"There are quite a few problems with the line itself from Ringwood as it cuts through the National Park and that would be subject to National Park considerations."

Denis Fryer from the South Hampshire Rail Users' Group added: "I know Hythe to Totton has long been a candidate for reopening.

"It is obviously worthwhile. Hythe and Ringwood are both populous areas and rail is recognised as being green and would alleviate traffic - but quite where the money comes from is another matter altogether."

ATOC argues that there is a strong case for refurbishing and reopening old routes across the country due to soaring passenger numbers over the last decade.