Warning 'essential' Ivanhoe Line funding must be kept after election or project faces delays

Campaigners for the Ivanhoe Line have said “essential” funding for the project must be preserved by the next Government. The long-term ambition is to fully revive services to Leicester, but it is feared the project could suffer delays after the election.

The warning comes from the Campaign for the Re-opening of the Ivanhoe Line (CRIL) group who have spearheaded the project to revive the line once and for all. A business case on plans for services to run between Coalville and Derby is currently with the Government, but next month’s election has led to a pause of the potential green light of the scheme, with the money allocated to it currently up in the air.

Now, CRIL says that whatever happens after Thursday, July 4, this funding must be maintained to ensure the first phase takes place. CRIL has previously said services could be up and running as soon as 2026 if their case is approved by the Transport Secretary.

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Campaigners say that if backed by the Government, the project would be split into three phases, with the first, which is backed by Network Rail, connecting Coalville and Derby via stops at Ashby, Castle Gresley and Burton. CRIL then aims to link with Leicester via a new Leicester South station close to the King Power Stadium - a section of line that would cost more than £270 million due to infrastructure costs.

However, their ambitions do not stop there CRIL wants to connect the revived Ivanhoe Line with the existing Midland Main Line in a bid to bring travel to London to timetables in North West Leicestershire. However, the group’s spokesman Douglas McLay previously labelled this part of the project the “most difficult” section.

Despite that difficulty, Mr McLay remains committed to the project. Speaking previously, he said: “If it’s opened a bit, it shows it can be done. Until it gets onto Leicester main line, we will never give up campaigning on the Leicester link.”

The Ivanhoe Line campaign has been widely backed across the political spectrum in recent years. North West Leicestershire electoral candidates have also made it a priority, with Labour’s Amanda Hack, Craig Smith for the Conservatives and the Lib Dems' Alice Delemere all making it one of their pledges for votes on July 4.

CRIL says the first phase would have benefits beyond North West Leicestershire though, with seven constituencies set to gain services as a result of the scheme - if it is approved. They are:

• Burton and Uttoxeter

• Derby North

• Derby South

• Hinckley and Bosworth

• Leicester North

• Leicester West

• Mid Leicestershire

• North West Leicestershire

• South Derbyshire

It’s why Mr McLay and CRIL said it was vital political support for the project carried on beyond the election. He also believed a commitment to the Restoring Your Railways Programme - the fund which has helped CRIL’s case - was needed from all parties too.

He said: “The support of local MPs has been critical to us in developing the Business Case to get the first phase opening to Coalville funded, and to our work to get subsequent phases through to Leicester underway. Funding is in place within the government for this work to go ahead.

“It is essential that this funding is preserved when the new government is formed if there are not to be further delays to work on the line starting. Our supporters can do their bit by asking their local candidates to support the campaign at every opportunity.”

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