A NEW train station could be built at St Mary’s Stadium in a bid to improve transport for fans.

This is the pledge from Southampton Conservatives if they are voted into power at the upcoming city council elections.

The party says it wants to see rail routes go down to Southampton Football Club’s home ground to encourage supporters to take public transport as opposed to using their cars.

They hope this will lead to fewer people on the road on matchdays and help cut pollution in the city.

In their manifesto, unveiled by Home Secretary Amber Rudd, the city’s Tory leader Jeremy Moulton earmarked improving air quality as one of the party’s major pledges.

He said: “There are huge pollution and traffic problems and having this new station would help stop this. It would get lots of cars off the road and get people in the ground easier.

“It could improve policing as well as officers would be able to get people from the train into stadium in a more simpler way.”

He added: “Hopefully something like this would not cost a huge amount of money as I feel we just need a platform point where be can get on and off safely and that can be managed.

“We need to stop the level of pollution in Southampton because there are finite amount of spaces on the road as it is.”

The party – which currently holds 19 of the 48 seats – has also earmarked an idea to build another station at the docks, potentially at the old Southampton Terminus railway station, to increase transport for people using cruise liners and the area.

So far Cllr Moulton has been in talks with organisations such as the Three Rivers Rail Partnership – a group of local authorities, local people and the rail industry – who are working to promote train and local bus services across the city.

Northam railway station used to be the closest functions station to the Britannia Road stadium, but it was closed in 1966.

In 1999, a £10m plan to reopen both Northam and Southampton Terminus stations were submitted by Anglia Railways but these failed for unknown reasons.

Labour ward councillor for Bevois, Cllr Stephen Barnes-Andrews, said: “When the ground was originally built there was some sort of feasibility study about whether a station could be built but railway companies were not interested at all as the station would only serve people on matchdays or when events are on.”

And ahead of May 3 elections, the Conservatives have also promised to eradicate homelessness, tackle potholes, scrap certain parking permits, and bring back weekly bin collections.

Cllr Moulton has promised to make Southampton a “successful city” by “getting the basics right”.

Transforming Southampton into an electric vehicle-friendly city is another of the party’s promises.

This includes allowing EVs to park for free within the city and use bus lanes. Charging points will also be installed across the area.

“We have companies knocking at the council’s door saying they want to install them (charging points) for free,” added the Tory leader.

“The city has a major air quality problem; tinkering won’t help – we need to be quite bold in order to achieve our goals.”

Cllr Moulton has also promised to reopen Kentish Road Respite Centre, seven days a week.

Campaigner Lisa Stead said: “We would be delighted if that happened.

“It would definitely attract several votes.

“The main point is that we need a respite centre that is open all week.”