Rail line restoration bid gets a green signal to progress to next stage
GOAL OF PASSENGER SERVICES ON IVANHOE LINE TAKE A STEP FORWARD
PLANS to reopen a railway line linking Burton to Leicester to passengers has been given a major boost after feedback from the government.
Rail Minister, Wendy Morton MP, announced that she would support 10 national proposals to reopen closed passenger lines in England, including the campaign to reopen the Ivanhoe line.
The Ivanhoe Line, which links Burton to Leicester, closed in 1964 to passengers following the infamous Beeching cuts. It is currently only used for freight. A campaign group, the Campaign to Reopen the Ivanhoe Line (CRIL), was set up by the late Geoff Bushell in 2019 in a bid to reopen the line for passenger use.
Funding will be provided to Network Rail to lead the next stage of work on the project in collaboration with the CRIL. The group will now need to develop a full Outline Business Case before the final decision is made whether or not to proceed with the plan.
The new commuter programme is split into four stages, each detailing which steps will be taken if the scheme is approved by decisionmakers. The third is a key proposal for Burton, including the re-opening of the Ivanhoe line from Burton to Coalville, with new stations at Stapenhill, Castle Gresley, Moira, Ashby, Sinope, Stephenson Industrial Estate, and Coalville.
The first two include more trains between Nottingham, Derby and Leicester, plus a new line to East Midlands Airport through the village of Toton, near Nottingham. As part of stage four, an underground route is proposed between Nottinghamshire and Castle Donington, via Kegworth and East Midlands Airport.
Rail minister Ms Morton said: “The Department’s assessment considered the strategic and economic case presented, deliverability of the scheme and infrastructure requirements, with a focus on the transport
The reopening of this railway line would give a real boost to often forgotten populations of South Derbyshire. Douglas Mclay
issue and strength of case for intervention. This scheme presents significant potential to improve connectivity for communities along the route of the Ivanhoe Line and I look forward to seeing it progress.”
CRIL spokesman Douglas Mclay said: “We are delighted with this announcement which brings the reopening of the Ivanhoe Line much closer.
Passenger services on the line would provide real value for the relatively modest government investment needed.
“The reopening of this railway would give a real boost to the often forgotten populations of South Derbyshire and Northwest Leicestershire. We look forward to working closely with the Department for Transport and Network Rail to deliver a railway service which meets the needs of local people.”