Middlesbrough hospital appointments could be synched with trains
Train arrivals could be synchronised with appointments at a Teesside hospital if plans by a council and health trust are approved.
A proposed £2.1m rail halt will be built at Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital, filling a gap in the Tees Valley's rail network.
It will be built to the south of the hospital next to a footbridge.
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has set a target of reducing reliance on car journeys by 20%.
The target covers journeys by employees, visitors and patients.
Middlesbrough Council and the trust said they hope use of the new railway station will be "actively encouraged" through season ticket discounts and aligning hospital appointments with the new rail service timetable.
The development follows a successful bid by Tees Valley Unlimited to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
A further £5.1m will be spent on improving facilities at 11 other stations in the area.
The 370ft (113m) halt would be used by 16 trains per day in each direction, with existing services on the Esk Valley line also calling at the station.
Consultation on the scheme is currently under way, with plans for the synched timetable still to be discussed.
The public have until 21 September to submit their views on the development.