A multi-million-pound consultation into the extension of the Borders Railway into Cumbria could start this year.

The Government has allocated £10 million for a feasibility study into extending the Borders Railways to Carlisle.

Campaigners have long fought for the line, which reopened in 2015, to be extended from current terminus, Tweedbank down to Carlisle, via stations such as Longtown, Hawick and St Boswells.

A recent report from the Borderlands Partnership, which is made up of the local authorities from across the region said that extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle would be the ‘best solution’ to help solve the area’s notorious transport connection difficulties.

The report said that many places along the route, including Longtown in Cumbria, had higher car ownership than the national average which they blamed on public transport issues.

Extending the Borders Railway is seen as a potential solution to that, the prospectus said, although project development work would need to start now in order to deliver within the next 10 to 20 years.

The Borders Railway has long been championed by local MPs and the issue was recently raised in the House of Commons by Penrith and the Border MP, Dr Neil Hudson.

In the past, Dr Hudson has pushed for a range of rail solutions for Cumbria including the reopening of Gilsland Station and the Penrith to Keswick line.

Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk MP John Lamont has said he is ‘pleased’ in the projects progress and said that it could create jobs in the border region.

He said: "I said we must see real progress on the Borders Railway extension this year and I am pleased that this project now seems to be moving forward.

"Extending the rail service onto Carlisle could bring substantial economic benefits and create good local jobs in the Borders.

"I look forward to the UK and Scottish governments continuing to work together constructively throughout the feasibility study process."

Talks are already taking place about the Borders Railway being extended and campaigners are said to be ‘increasingly optimistic’ about the future of the project.