The site of the new rail station in Ilkeston was visited by transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin to mark the first day of construction on March 6th.

Mr McLoughlin said: “The new station at Ilkeston will make a real difference to the local area when it opens, and will help secure economic growth across the region by linking people with jobs, and businesses with people.”

The town has not had a working train station for 40 years, so it is fitting that the new station will be built on the site of the old, derelict facility, which was demolished as part of the initial clearance works. Construction has already been severely delayed by the area’s population of great-crested newts, which are a protected species under EU law.

The station is now set to open early next year, and will have two platforms, a car park and several ticket machines. There will be direct hourly services to Nottingham, Sheffield and Chesterfield.