Travellers are set to get a better service when they use Stonehouse railway station in future.

Network Rail is seeking permission to extend platforms one and two by 99 and 94 metres, more than doubling the length.

This will also allow trains with greater capacity to call at Stonehouse, it is reported in the Stroud News and Journal.

It has also raised hopes that the town's second train station in Bristol Road could be re-opened providing a quicker link to Bristol.

Businesses in Stonehouse will be given a boost by the increased capacity at the existing railway station as it means employees will be able to commute from a greater distance.

In a letter to Stroud planners agents for Network Rail say: "The electrification of the Great Western Main Line (GWML) between London Paddington, Bristol, Oxford, Newbury and South Wales permits the introduction of electric multiple units (EMU) and the replacement of DMUs (Class 165 and 166) on suburban services in the Thames Valley.

"The DMUs are then to be released to the South West in order to help deliver increased capacity in the Bristol and Exeter travel to work areas as well as on the Cardiff - Portsmouth service group which has experienced significant growth.

"The increased capacity offered by the cascaded DMUs allows the rail industry to deliver capacity outputs."

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