COUNTY officials will decide on whether to plough £3 million into reconnecting Swanage with the mainline rail network at a crunch meeting later this month.

Network Rail needs an assurance, by the end of July, that the money will be available when planned Poole to Wool re-signalling work starts in 2012.

Campaigners, councillors and Purbeck business leaders have been pushing for the reconnection after an absence of mainline services for more than three decades.

Network Rail agreed to postpone the deadline until the end of July, partly because of the general election.

Meanwhile, transport officials looked into the possibilities of securing funding from outside agencies, but as the deadline drew closer it became likely the £3 million might have to come from the county council’s capital budget.

But in the current climate of massive economic cutbacks, this may not prove popular with all members.

County councillors will debate the decision to invest at a full council meeting on July 22.

Last December, Purbeck District Council and the county council each agreed to invest £50,000 to help upgrade Worgret Junction.

This was deemed vital if Network Rail was to include the junction in its planned re-signalling works.

British Rail closed the Purbeck branch line in 1972.

The reconnection seems to be well supported across Purbeck and it is seen as important in attracting business and holidaymakers to the area.

Swanage and Purbeck Hospitality Association vice chairman Julian Maughan said: “Reconnecting the line would have a dramatic and positive impact on the region from a social, economic and commercial perspective.”