Government to fund further assessments of restoring the Ivanhoe Line
Dr Luke Evans, MP for Bosworth, welcomes another important step in the restoration of a local train line. Further funding has been granted to assess restoring the Ivanhoe Line, following a campaign by a local group.
The good news means the project can take a further step forward in checking the feasibility of reopening the 1960s line which passes through the villages of Desford and Thornton, connecting Burton-upon-Trent to Leicester.
Minister of State for Transport, Wendy Morton, wrote to the five MPs whose constituencies the Ivanhoe Line runs through to share the news that the Department for Transport have assessed the Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) for the restoration and would like to fund further development of the scheme.
The assessment considered the strategic and economic case, deliverability of the scheme and infrastructure requirements. The upcoming funding will be provided to Network Rail who will lead the development and work alongside the Campaign to Reopen the Ivanhoe Line (CRIL).
The Restoring your Railway Fund is a promise from the Government’s 2019 manifesto which committed £500 million to restoring and reopening many of the important lines and stations which were closed in the 1960s.
Dr Luke Evans MP said “This is another positive step in the right direction for this long-term project. As many people in our area will be aware, I have been campaigning for restoring the Ivanhoe Line since 2020 and am pleased to see it has progressed to the next round. The campaign is set to benefit from a substantial amount of money and while it is an ongoing process with a long way to go yet, potential for restoring the line is gathering pace.
“I will continue to work with my colleagues in Leicestershire to ensure our area is well connected.”
Wendy Morton, Transport Minister, said “This scheme presents significant potential to improve connectivity for communities along the route of the Ivanhoe Line and I look forward to seeing it progress.”
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