A plan to reopen a rail link in North Yorkshire will be examined in a report due out shortly.

The multi-million pound plan to reopen the link from Pickering to Rillington is expected to highlight several major issues, including the effect of potential traffic delays at rail crossings in Pickering, the environmental impact and the economic benefits to the market town and the North York Moors Railway.

Chris Millns, head of environmental enhancement at North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC), who has been leading the project, said it was likely that it would put in a bid to the Strategic Rail Authority to progress the feasibility of the scheme.

"It will need more feasibility work on how it would fit in with Pickering's traffic situation, especially the potential delays at level crossings," he said.

A steering group comprising NYCC, Ryedale District Council, the Moors Railway, the National Park Authority, Railtrack and the Government's Countryside Agency, is to meet to discuss the next stage of the project, which two years ago was estimated would cost £19m. "We have to look in more detail at the train operating costs and at the regeneration benefits of opening the line, the effect on development and job opportunities," said Mr Millns.

Royd Scurrah, chairman of Rail Action North Yorkshire and who has been the lead campaigner for the reopening of the 6- mile route from Pickering station to Rillington junction on the York to Scarborough line, said he expected a business study on the project to be published next month.