The fight to restore the Ivanhoe Line is not just about rail campaigners

The “bitter blow” of the withdrawal of government funding to restore a passenger rail link through the Midlands does not mean the fight is over, campaigners have said.

On Monday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the Treasury needed to find £5.5 billion in savings in 2024 and a further £8.1 billion in 2025.

The entire Restoring Your Railways scheme was among the transport projects axed to save around £85m, including the Ivanhoe Line plan to reconnect Leicester and Burton through north-west Leicestershire and south Derbyshire.

A business case backed by Network Rail to reinstate the Ivanhoe Line, which was closed to passengers as part of the infamous Beeching Cuts of the 1960s, was on the desks of the previous Conservative government with high hopes that work could begin in 2024.

The Campaign to Restore the Ivanhoe Line (CRIL) believes it is still possible to make a case for the benefits that reopening the line would bring – adding that the £100 million needed to restore the line was “relatively modest”.

Douglas McLay of CRIL said the group now planned to rally supporters to take its case to the government.

He said: “The project was about to be funded to the next stage when the election was called and the case put forward by Network Rail and ourselves was considered to be very strong.

“After almost 50 years, we were optimistic that we would actually make progress. It’s a body blow to hear that there will be no funding.

“This scheme is something that will produce exceptional benefits in an area that has received very little government money.

“We believe that the Ivanhoe Line is such an exceptional case that it should be considered for immediate reimbursement.

“That’s where our focus will be now.”

North West Leicestershire Labour MP Amanda Hack said she will ask the Treasury to look at the case for restoring a passenger rail service between Leicester and Burton via the congested Coalville, Ashby and Swadlincote A511 corridor.

And Samantha Niblett, Labour MP for South Derbyshire, said she had spoken to Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh about the campaign.

Ms Hack said: “This latest development is a setback, but I am optimistic.

“I will continue to work with all parties to get the green light for the full reopening of the Ivanhoe Line.

“I will be writing to the Treasury to reiterate the case. I will also be pressing the Secretary of State for Transport to review the bill.”

Ms Niblett said: “Our support for this campaign continues.”

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “I am determined to build the transport infrastructure to drive economic growth and opportunity in every part of the country and deliver value for money for taxpayers.

“This ambition demands a fundamental reset in how we approach capital projects – with public trust, industry confidence and government integrity at its heart.”

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