The Campaign to Reopen the Ivanhoe line has received another boost after the award of a grant letter from the Department for Transport's Restoring Your Railway initiative.

Of the 10 initial winners, CRIL is the first private organisation to receive such an award from the DfT who have adjusted their procedures to allow for groups such as this to receive grants in the future.

CRIL chairman Geoff Bushell said: "We are working closely with our DfT support team and are steadily progressing with the completion of the Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC).

"We are grateful for all the support we have received without which this project would not have been possible."

The line plans to re-open the Burton to Leicester line that was closed to passenger travel as part of the 1960s Beeching Cuts.

But CRIL's scheme could see new stations at Coalville, Ashby and Castle Gresley as well as Moira and Ellistown.

In May, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced during a national TV Coronavirus briefing that the railway line was one of schemes in line for Government funding.

The Ivanhoe Line has successfully cleared the assessment process of the DfT's "New Ideas Fund" and are now working towards acceptance into the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP).

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The £500million Restoring Your Railway Fund invited MPs, local councils and community groups to propose how they could use funding to reinstate axed local services and restore stations.

CRIL has the support of four local MPs in Mr Andrew Bridgen, Dr Luke Evans, Mrs Heather Wheeler and Ms Kate Griffiths who sponsored their successful application to the "New Ideas Fund".

Last Saturday, CRIL was part of the Connecting Coalville event held in the town's indoor market.

Mr Bushell added: "It was a very successful event providing an opportunity to meet the public and hear their views and to sell our calendar.

"Sales went well and we recommend placing orders to [email protected] to avoid disappointment."