Dr Luke Evans, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Bosworth, has thrown his support behind the campaign to reopen the Ivanhoe railway line after a meeting with Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP.
The Ivanhoe Line, a passenger railway line offering a direct link from Burton on Trent to Leicester, ran through the north of Dr Luke’s Bosworth constituency until it was closed in 1964 as a result of the Beeching cuts.
The line still offers a mineral service with campaigners believing that it could be reopened for minimal cost to help tackle congestion and environmental challenges, as well contributing to the regeneration of former coalfield communities.
Dr Luke said “The Campaign to Reopen the Ivanhoe Line is a well established one supported by my fellow MPs whose constituencies are also bisected by the railway; the work they, local councils and activists have already done is tremendous.
“Communities such as Bagworth, Desford and Ratby could benefit greatly from the reintroduction of the line and I very much want to highlight the potential benefits it could bring, and to throw my weight behind the work that is already being done. Bosworth needs to be as equally strong voice for the business case as other constituencies have been in the past.
“The Government has been clear in its commitment to provide funding which will allow for Beeching era closures to be reversed. The Secretary of State is very much aware of the Ivanhoe Line and the potential benefits its reintroduction can bring in taking cars off the road, whilst helping to improve our infrastructure in the constituency. I’m looking forward to working with campaigners and residents to make reopening the line a reality.”
