Ivanhoe Line - History

History

After phase one of the Ivanhoe Line was completed in the mid 1990s it was originally planned that phase two would extend the line west to Burton-on-Trent on the current freight-only line via Coalville and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. In 2006 the Conservative Party released a brief of its plans for reopening the line.

A report published in December 2008 assumed that the total number of passenger journeys would be 150,000 per annum, each paying an average of £3.15 per journey. It also assumed that no-one would use the line at week-ends, even though it runs via the successful tourist attractions of the National Forest. This equates to an assumption that just over 300 return journeys would be made daily, and only during the week. However, according to the latest travel to work plans, there are some 4,000-6,000 car journeys daily on the Coalville to Leicester corridor, and 6,000-8,000 per day from the south. Thus about 12,000 car journeys takes place along part or all of the route. It is not considered credible that only 2.5% would be attracted on to the train, so there is therefore a widespread belief that the report's economic assumptions were wrong.

In June 2009 the Association of Train Operating Companies recommended reopening of the line to passenger services with stations at Kirby Muxloe, Bagworth, Coalville, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Moira and Gresley. ATOC estimated that the capital cost at £49 million, the benefit-cost ratio (BCR) to be 1.3 and the BCR excluding capital costs to be 2.9. Leicestershire County Council again ruled out the proposal, claiming it would cost a £4 million annual subsidy. However, previous reports had suggested the subsidy required would be far less, and that after the initial investment the line would make money.