North West Leicestershire District Council Leader, Richard Blunt has welcomed news that the reopening of the Ivanhoe Line between Burton and Leicester has moved a step closer - and says it can help the area recover from damage caused to the economy by lockdown.

Much of the line would pass through North West Leicestershire with stations proposed in Coalville, Ashby de la Zouch and Moira.

The announcement named the first round winners of the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund - and announced 10 bids who will share £500,000 to develop proposals to enhance, build or reopenrailway lines and stations.

The funding will provide up to 75 per cent towards feasibility studies. 

Sixty bids were submitted to the first round.

This included the reinstatement of the Ivanhoe Line, a project led by the Campaign to Re-open The Ivanhoe Line (CRIL), which has been supported by several local authorities, including North West Leicestershire District Council

Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council, said: "Re-opening the Ivanhoe line would be a major boost to North West Leicestershire's economy, businesses and residents, and today's announcement from Government is very welcome.

"It's a project that we've long been supportive of and an injection of Government funding would be a huge step in the right direction in making this a financially viable project.

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"Can I congratulate CRIL who have been the driving force behind this bid and we continue to offer our support for the business case that now must be submitted.

"A huge amount of our effort as a council is currently focused on recovery from this pandemic and how we support an economic revival in the district – and the re-opening of the Ivanhoe line would be a huge long-term boost to this ambition."

He added that the re-opening of the Ivanhoe Line would also have huge environmental benefits for the district.

Cllr Blunt said: "The rail line would get cars off our roads, reduce the district's carbon footprint and help to improve air quality – all of which is part of our zero carbon agenda.

"We are very much looking forward to continuing our support for this project."

The announcement forms part of a Government investment of £283 million of funding for roads, railways, buses and trams to improve public safety and protect services across the UK.

The funding is divided into £254 million for buses nationally and £29 million for trams and light rail, increasing the frequency and capacity of services. 

Describing the Government's intention to reverse many of the Beeching railway cuts, the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "Many of the places removed from the map never recovered.

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"That report was perhaps the origin of the left-behind town.

"But we're working to reverse Beeching. Our mission is to level up Britain."