Rail minister visits Ilkeston to launch £20million fund for new railway stations

Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris was at Ilkeston station, which opened in 2017 as part of the first phase of the Government’s New Station Fund.

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According to the Department for Transport, Ilkeston railway station has attracted more than a quarter of a million passenger journeys in just its first year of operation – exceeding predicted footfall by 30 per cent.

Now, as part of the next phase of the New Station Fund, local authorities across the country are being encouraged to bid for cash to build new railway stations and restore disused ones.

Mr Heaton-Harris said: “Disused railway stations have been emblematic of left behind towns for too long.

“The vast number of passengers already using new stations funded by Government is proof of the importance of investing in new connections.

“This new funding will both restore local stations to their former glory, and build even more new ones, establishing vital links for communities and levelling up the country for everyone.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson added: “The New Station Fund forms just one part of the Government’s £500m drive to reopen former routes and stations closed during the Beeching cuts, and marks our commitment to levelling up transport infrastructure across the country to improve links between communities and unlock economic growth for towns, cities and regions, so that everyone is able to access to opportunities they need to thrive.”

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