Conservative candidate for North West Leicestershire, Craig Smith has met with Midlands Connect, the organisation that researches, develops and recommends transport projects for the Midlands to discuss the proposed restoration of the Ivanhoe Line.

The Ivanhoe Line was closed to passengers in the 1960s under the Beeching reforms. The line, which connects Burton-upon-Trent with Leicester passing through Moira, Ashby and Coalville, was awarded funding for development as part of the Government's £500million Restoring Your Railway Programme last Autumn.

Network Rail programme director for the Restoring Your Railways project Mike Smith said at that time that: "Network Rail is working to further develop the Ivanhoe Line project. The development stage is set to culminate around the end of the year, with the production of an Outline Business Case to be considered alongside the Department for Transport."

It was also announced that the first stage of the project would see the line end at Coalville, rather than going on to Leicester.

The current plan would be to link the North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire towns with Derby instead.

Following the meeting with Midland Connect, the current Leicestershire County Councillor Smith said: "Following the announcement last year, I was very encouraged to hear of the work that has been going on to get passenger trains back on the Ivanhoe Line.

"I am in correspondence with the Rail Minister, Huw Merriman, and hoping to get him up to the district to see the line for himself in the very near future, and the difference it will make to local communities, whilst the Department of Transport consider the business case.

"I will also outline the case for the line to go all the way to Leicester as well as for an extra station to serve the Moira area.

advertisement

"I would again pay tribute to the work the Campaign to Reopen the Ivanhoe Line (CRIL) has undertaken to get us to this stage.

"With the welcome cancellation of HS2, bringing Leicestershire £238million of allocated transport spend from central Government, this is the best opportunity we've had to get this project up and running.

"I would encourage all stakeholders, no matter where they sit in the political divide to respect the process, as the business plan is considered by the Department of Transport."