A WEST Lothian village is set to get a new train station after plans were given the green light by councillors.
Consent for a station in Winchburgh was granted by the local authority on Monday and follows calls from locals for a new station after the population in the village more than doubled in the last 10 years.
The station is set to be located adjacent to the new Winchburgh Town Centre, with plans also including a park and ride and electric vehicle charging points.
The railway line will connect the town with Edinburgh, Glasgow Queen Street and Stirling, with its platforms also planned to be long enough to accommodate trains that are up to six carriages long.
The plans were submitted after months of work by West Lothian Council, Network Rail, Transport Scotland, SEStran and Winchburgh Developments Ltd, but funding has yet to be confirmed.
Executive councillor for Environment and Sustainability, Tom Conn, welcomed the news as he said the new station will bring lasting benefits to Winchburgh.
He said: "I am sure this important step will be warmly welcomed by local residents. It's extremely encouraging to see this project continuing to move forward at pace this year which reflects the positive collaboration between all parties.
"A station would bring lasting benefits to Winchburgh and surrounding communities - increasing sustainable travel options, supporting the local economy and connecting people to opportunities."
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John Hamilton, CEO of Winchburgh Developments Ltd, said the new station will be a "game-changer".
He said: "Securing planning consent is a huge step forward for Winchburgh and brings us closer to realising the full vision for our growing community.
"As we expand from around 6500 to 14,000 residents, the new station will be a game-changer, connecting people more easily, easing pressure on local roads and helping us move towards a cleaner, greener future.
"We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners to take the next vital steps towards getting construction underway and making this exciting project a reality."
Catherine Hall, strategy and investment director at Network Rail Scotland, added: "We welcome the decision to grant planning permission for the proposed station at Winchburgh, which aims to improve transport links for the growing community.
She continued: "It's encouraging to see the project reach this stage and it reflects the hard work behind the scenes across all organisations involved. We'll continue to work closely with partners as plans progress."