Ivanhoe still ate’nt dead!

OPINION: Cllr Terri Eynon, North West Leicestershire District Council.

Described as a ‘local official’ by the Ashby Nub news, LCC’s cabinet member for highways, transport and waste, Adam Tilbury, wasn’t just speaking unofficially when he diagnosed the Ivanhoe line as ‘dead’. He appeared unaware that his own Council had already shifted from warm words to explicitly including the Ivanhoe Line in its core policy framework.

Perhaps he was upset that, in Amanda Hack’s dedicated Westminster Hall Debate (January 28, 2026), it was noted that the government has allocated £251 million in consolidated funding to Leicestershire through to 2030. Leicestershire County Council could use some of this to advance the business case for the line. If they really wanted to.

Connecting Coalville via Burton to Derby is phase 1 of the proposed regeneration. This would bring significant benefits to the area covered by Clare Ward’s East Midlands Mayoralty. Joined up effort across geographical boundaries could bring about real and lasting change to our communities.

You have until the 8^th February to respond to the East Midlands Mayor’s Transport Plan.  

Fact Check:

Several recent strategic documents and official statements confirm that reopening the Ivanhoe Line (also referred to as the National Forest Line) remains a key ambition for both local and regional authorities.

Leicester County Council

• Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) 2025–2040: In the core document (published in mid-2025), the Council explicitly states that it continues to “support the promotion of the Ivanhoe Railway Line for reopening” as a key priority for addressing poor connectivity and social isolation in North West Leicestershire.
• Leicester & Leicestershire Rail Strategy: This document identifies the Ivanhoe Line as a critical intervention to support the “National Forest” as a sustainable tourism destination and to handle the 12% population growth seen in the Coalville area.
• Interim Coalville Transport Strategy: This study recognizes the need for a holistic plan for passenger transport that includes the potential rail link to maximize the benefits of planned housing growth.

Midlands Connect

The sub-national transport body, Midlands Connect integrates the Ivanhoe Line into a broader regional “conveyor belt” of projects.

• Strategic Transport Plan (Refreshed 2021/2022): Midlands Connect identifies the line as a vital link for “Levelling Up” the East Midlands. They view it as part of the Midlands Rail Hub ecosystem, even if funded separately, because it would feed passengers into the wider regional network at Leicester.
• Maid Marian Line Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC): While focused on a different line, this document lists the Ivanhoe Line as a “Phase 2” priority for regional rail reopening, highlighting the “golden thread” of strategic fit between national policy and local delivery.