Is it next stop Derby for inter-city tram system?

Asked about the potential for a tramlink, Ms Ward said: "We haven't got details on that yet because we are clearly at the very beginning of thinking about our transport plan.

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"What we are expressing to Government is our ambition for the development of that corridor.

"We know it will allow us to get significant growth not just across Derby and Nottingham but Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire as well."

She said the East Midlands Combined County Authority had spent £300,000 on a tram route extension feasibility study earlier this year.

Ms Ward said: "Until that comes back we couldn't say.

"But we know in order to unlock the opportunities of that land and investment in that area we will need to have either bus, rail, road, active travel or tram."

Pressed on the potential cost and the implications for other projects which could be funded, she said: "I think what you are trying to do is extrapolate figures on a route that we haven't even determined yet.