New Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, responsible for the Department of Transport has visited what will be the site at which building work will commence for the Ilkeston railway station next year.
Erewash MP Jessica Lee invited the Derbyshire MP to Station Road, Ilkeston to discuss the demand for transport infrastructure in a town which is the largest in England without its own station:
“I realised that taking over as Secretary of State must be a huge task so I wanted to make sure that Ilkeston Station didn’t get overlooked,”
Back in July 2012 former Transport Secretary Justine Greening made £20 million available for new station bids around the country and said she would like to Ilkeston successfully receive funding. A spokesman for Network Rail has also confirmed its ongoing talks with Derbyshire County Council and the possibility of a fully functioning station by 2014:
“There is a clear will from the council and Network Rail to make it happen. We are now in discussions and working through the detail. The aspiration is to have a station completed by March 2014. We realise there is a demand for it. It is a positive scheme.”
Most recenty, chairman of the Joint Planning Advisory board Steve Barber recently held a meeting in which plans to commence work in April 2013 were announced in a presentation by Derbyshire County Council. The case put forward outlines the franchising, stopping services and approval process for the project.
The overall estimated capital costs stand at £4m. Download the report here (PDF).
“At last some excellent news – the money is in place and work should start on building Ilkeston Station next year. A potted history: Although plans have been around for a long time no money was on the table until last year when the Greater Nottingham Joint Planning Advisory Board (JPAB which I chair) voted £1m towards the project.
Last month Derbyshire County Council came up with another £1m. The Government were impressed by this and committed £20m for a number (about 4) new stations around the country. Ilkeston ticks all the boxes and comes top of the list so should get the £3m required.
Negotiations are under way to ensure the new franchise operating the Leeds service calls at the station from April 2014 at the latest. Interestingly this could well be run by Greater Manchester PTE, so the service will effectively be in public ownership.”