Harborough FM, which these days provides the best local news service, reports that the government is again looking at the idea of electrifying the railway from Market Harborough to Sheffield.
A Department for Transport spokesperson has told the radio station:
"Enabling and design work is currently taking place to progress electrification of the Midland Mainline beyond Kettering to Market Harborough, as well as to enable the introduction of the new bi-mode trains to be introduced on the route in 2023.
"Further electrification of the MML to Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield is currently being examined by the Department and Network Rail, and is at an early stage of development.
"This work will be subject to the development of a satisfactory business case."
And earlier this week Construction Enquirer had news of a "market engagement day" for potential contractors for this work.
The Conservatives said during the 2017 general election campaign that the wires would reach Sheffield, even though Chris Grayling had also taken the decision to scrap the project.
Visiting Derbyshire during the 2019 campaign, Boris Johnson suggested that it might go ahead after all.
Our prime minister has a well-established habit of saying whatever will get him through the next 10 seconds regardless of its truth, but maybe he was not lying here.
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