MPs claim rail junctions 'key' to economic growth

MPs have called on the transport secretary to prioritise improvements to two East Anglian rail junctions.

The East of England All-Party Parliamentary Group said upgrades to junctions at Ely, Cambridgeshire, and Haughley, Suffolk, were "key" to unlocking economic growth across Britain.

Members have said improvements would benefit freight and passenger services and the environment.

They have spelled out arguments in a letter to Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and claimed upgrades would be good for passengers in Peterborough, Suffolk and Norfolk.

The group said the Conservative government had confirmed funding would be made available for Ely and Haughley junction improvements.

Members said they had now written asking for the schemes to be prioritised, and money released.

The group said upgrades would unlock "thousands of extra freight trains" from Britain’s busiest container port at Felixstowe, Suffolk , to serve distribution centres in the midlands, the north and Scotland.

Improvements would also increase the frequency of passenger services to places such as Peterborough, Ipswich and King’s Lynn, Norfolk.

MPs said there was "unprecedented support" from freight and logistics firms, businesses and local and combined authorities.

They said two organisations, England’s Economic Heartland and Transport East, had released an updated report on the benefits of Ely and Haughley upgrades.

"Improvements to Ely and Haughley are key to realising the transport secretary’s strategic priorities; improving the performance of our railways; transforming infrastructure right across the country; and delivering greener transport," said Andrew Pakes, Labour MP for Peterborough and the group's co-chair.

He added: "Alongside allowing more goods to be moved more efficiently right across the UK, improvements to Ely Junction will also unlock capacity for better rail services in Peterborough, supporting the regeneration of our city and helping to realise its significant economic potential."

Ipswich Labour MP Jack Abbott added: "The upgrades to the Ely and Haughley rail junctions represent critical infrastructure projects for our region."

Abbott indicated that he had discussed the issues with Haigh.

He said there had been "years of the dither and delay under the previous Conservative government".

A spokeswoman for the Department for Transport said in July that transport ministers recognised "the benefits the scheme could bring" for both freight and passenger services in East Anglia.

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