Rail campaigners pushing for the re-opening of the Ivanhoe Line through Ashby remain hopeful that the project could still have a future.

This week's announcement of £2bn funding for transport links in the East Midlands made no mention of the rail link which would - in its first phase - take passengers from Coalville and Ashby to Derby.

Instead, it centred on a tramlink between Nottingham and Derby.

However, the Campaign for the Re-opening of the Ivanhoe Line believes there is still room to revive its project - which was put on hold when Labour came into power last summer.

Douglas McLay, of CRIL, said: "We know that many of our supporters will have been as disappointed as we were to read that the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, did not include our line in her announcement about funding of new transport infrastructure. 

"We, like you, thought that we had yet again been forgotten in favour of more 'politically fashionable' areas, with high-profile mayors. 

"However, all may not yet be lost. It was reported that Ms Reeves replied to a question about a rail link between Manchester to Liverpool (there has of course, been one of those since 1830!), saying that there would be 'more to come next week' when she delivers her spending review.  

"We are reassured to know that Amanda Hack MP has been busy lobbying on behalf of our line, in Westminster and Whitehall. 

Image: CRIL

"There is also talk of an announcement about transport infrastructure in the following week. And of course, we continue to keep busy working behind the scenes."

CRIL has underlined the point that huge progress had been made on the Ivanhoe Line project before last year's General Election. 

Mr McLay added: "To put all this into perspective, we should reflect that our scheme is fully researched with costs and benefits calculated and timeframes to reopen the established line.

"If given the go-ahead before the first anniversary of this government taking power, trains would be running between Derby and Coalville well before the end of the current parliament, with the service onto Leicester following on a year later. 

"By contrast, the proposals for the new infrastructure heralded in this announcement has yet to be fully evaluated and planned. This is reflected by the funding not coming on stream until 2027-28 to 2031-32. 

"There is reason to be hopeful that the relatively modest £100million public funding needed to get the ball rolling on the Ivanhoe Line could be made available in time for the Government to claim the credit for it before the next election. 

"We will be vigilant following developments as they unfold and keep our supporters updated."