The service was reduced to a single early morning service in 1992, and the last train ran on 21 May 1993. The single service was replaced with a taxi that ran from Derby railway station. On 2 May 1997 the line became part of the Central Trains franchise on the privatisation of British Rail, but no Central Trains services ever used the line. On 6 November 1997 Central Trains and the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising proposed the closure of the line. This was granted on 21 May 1998 by the Rail Regulator John Swift QC.