A community rail scheme could take over a 29-mile stretch of track in North Cambridgeshire, under government plans.
If approved, local passengers, volunteers and councils would be allowed to design train services along the route between Peterborough and Ely, ? known as the Hereward line, ? to ensure it better meets local need.
Train companies would continue to operate the service but would receive guidance from the Hereward Community Rail Partnership. Network Rail would also retain authority over infrastructure including track and signalling.
Rail minister Claire Perry said: '?We know how important this line is to local communities in the rural Fenland area, and it?s right that passengers have a bigger say in shaping its future.
'?By designating the Hereward line as a community rail service, we can breathe new life into this route, ensure its long term future, and improve connections that will help grow the local economy.?'
The Department for Transport said designating the Hereward line as a community rail service could increase passenger numbers, improve connectivity and boost the local economy.
The proposals have been put out to an eight-week consultation that runs until midnight on Friday 25 September 2015.
A total of 19 rail lines across the country have been designated community lines since 2005, with a further 20 named community rail services over the past decade.
