THE chief executive of Network Rail has said plans to rebuild Crewe's railway station could cost £300m without improving rail travel, the Chronicle can reveal.

In a letter to a county councillor, rail boss John Armitt wrote that the Crewe Rail Gateway project to regenerate the current Nantwich Road station was still receiving Network Rail's support, but the second option of building a new station at Basford Sidings was still being considered.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Armitt, Network Rail spokesman Keith Lumley said the warning that the future of British rail travel may not benefit from the new station should not be taken as a withdrawal of support.

He explained major work to Crewe's dilapidated signalling system was a priority over the coming years, and reiterated the company's wish to see the Basford option given serious consideration.

He said: 'What the letter means is that we could spend £150m on the new signalling systems, and could then spend in the region of £40m on canopies over the current station platforms.

'When other costs are factored in, we could end up spending close to £300m on a cosmetic exercise to improve the current station but not rail travel.'

In March, the Chronicle broke the news that Network Rail was discussing the option of an alternative to the £38m Crewe Gateway project to re-vamp the current station building by building new concourses to improve access.

At the time, the alternative proposal to place a brand new station around half a mile away from Crewe at Bas-ford Sidings sparked fears Network Rail was threatening Crewe's identity as the UK's foremost railway town.

Andrew Skidmore, a senior manager appointed to look at options for Crewe, said he understood the concerns this latest letter raised.

'We are aware that looking at the wider issues is causing some concern for the Gateway partners.

'Understandably, they do not wish to carry out abortive work if the location of the station changes at some time in the future, and it is for this reason I plan to meet with various stakeholders involved, discuss our ideas with them and come back to them with firm proposals as soon as we possibly can.'

The target completion date for the Gateway project is 2011.