Plans to reinstate the Peak and Dales line along the Monsal Trail have been ruled on by the Department of Transport.
 
After the closure of the line in 1968, nearly nine miles of the now abandoned railway was transformed into the popular trail, incorporating railway tunnels as well as the Monsal Viaduct.
 
As part of its Levelling-Up agenda, in January 2020, the Government pledged £500 million for the Restoring Your Railway programme to start reopening lines and stations.
 
The popular, highly competitive initiative, saw 85 proposals submitted in the third round, of which just 13 have been approved for funding.
 
The Manchester and East Midlands Rail Action Partnership (MEMRAP) believed the railway would "reconnect isolated communities between Matlock and Buxton/Chinley and reconnect Manchester with the East Midlands, to and through the Peak District National Park".
 
But the Department has ruled against handing funds to the reopening push.
 
Stephen Chaytow CEO of MEMRAP said, ""Whilst we are naturally disappointed not to have secured the funding we were seeking through "Restoring Your Railway", we continue to pursue other, existing avenues via the appropriate agencies. The process has been helpful in that it has really accelerated the development of our proposal. We've made the strategic, economic, social, and environmental case strongly for this railway reopening. And we continue to develop our proposal, working with key stakeholders to improve their understanding of the significant benefits of the proposed Peaks and Dales Line reinstatement".
 
There has been much contention surrounding the potential railway being reinstated, with 14,000 people signing a petition against the project.
 
Set up by trail activist Lee Cooper Smith, the petition reads, "This very action completely changes, and reduces the unique appeal of the trail, of walking through the tunnels, along the same viaduct, it just becomes a trail. This reduces the appeal of one of our key tourism assets that is partly responsible for Derbyshire's £2.3 billion tourism trade that many of our local businesses rely upon."
 
The proposal also did not have the backing of the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) as they believed it didn't meet the authority's tests to reinstate the railway.
 
MEMRAP disputes this and a spokesperson said, "The Peak District National Park is right to admit, in effect, that it does have a big transport problem. The fact is that the Chair of the PDNPA himself says that the situation is "unsustainable". We agree. Our proposal would be a core part of a proper, integrated, multi-modal solution, contributing to meeting that PDNPA-identified strategic need. MEMRAP is due to meet again with the PDNPA CEO to identify and discuss further issues which our exciting and visionary proposals may need to resolve".
 
Local MPs had previously supported the idea of connecting Manchester with the East Midlands, through the Peak District.
 
High Peak MP Robert Largan said, "Re-instating the railway to Bakewell, Matlock, and beyond could potentially be a huge boost for Buxton. That's why I'm sponsoring a bid for a feasibility study, so this possibility can be properly looked at. Of course, there are complications when it comes to the much loved Monsal Trail, and I certainly wouldn't support the trail being closed. That's why the work that the Buxton town team are doing to consider alternative trail provision is so important."
 
For now the Monsal Trail is to remain as a trail, but as MEMRAP believes "much public support is bubbling up", who knows how long this popular Peak District walking route will remain.
 
Joseph Ash.