The plan has long been discussed as part of future development in Hampton, but speaking at the recent Hampton Parish Council meeting Cllr Karen Toynton-Ward said: “We’ve heard from Cllr Marco Cereste [of Peterborough City Council] that Network Rail have no plans to put a station on their main line.”

Cllr Vijay Patel added: “He said it could happen in Hempsted instead of Hampton. There could be one track that goes into the main station and out again.”

Explaining that there are some plans in place, Cllr Chris Wiggin added: “I’ve heard from someone who’s a rail institute expert and she said that there are plans to put a four-track service into Peterborough. Once that’s in place, it could happen.”

Cllr John Howard said: “We’re not getting four tracks for at least 25 years, it’s too big a job. I don’t think we should talk too much about it for the next decade, if not 20 years.

“If it is built in Hempsted, realistically, you’re not going to use it unless you live there. It’ll still mean people will go into town."