22 September 2022
East of England All Party Parliamentary Group press new Prime Minister to commit to investment in Ely and Haughley Rail Junctions

In a letter sent to the new Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Transport, the East of England All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) called, once again, for Government investment in the overdue improvements at Ely and Haughley rail junctions.

The letter was supported by 21 MPs, Peers, business groups, local authority leaders and rail freight representatives, demonstrating the wide coalition of support for investment in this crucial east-west rail corridor in recognition of the economic benefits to the logistics ‘Golden Triangle’ and businesses across the UK.

At the leadership hustings in Norwich on the 25 August, Elizabeth Truss MP indicated support for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) project and criticised unnecessary delay. In this letter the APPG is asking her, now the new Prime Minister, to back those views with action quickly. These schemes have been identified as priorities within the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, however, have not received committed funding and have been subject to considerable delay.

Within its letter to Government, the APPG highlights the significant economic and decarbonisation benefits that the planned improvements at Ely will deliver, both to the East and nationally.  The planned doubling of freight capacity, alongside increased passenger services on poor frequency routes will result in the benefits spreading well beyond the East, supporting access and growth in the Midlands and North.

Improvements at Haughley are a low-cost way of reducing delays to services on the Great Eastern Main Line and improving reliability for freight trains to and from the Port of Felixstowe.

The letter concludes by stating the investment would be good for UK plc as well as for businesses and communities in the East of England. It would also help the Government deliver its ambitions to deliver growth, to level up the country, achieve net zero, and drive global Britain forward whilst simultaneously increasing the East of England’s existing net contribution to the Treasury.

Peter Aldous MP, Co-Chair of East of England APPG said:

“Investment in Ely and Haughley rail junctions would be good for UK plc as well as for businesses and communities in the East of England. They contribute significantly to meeting Government ambitions to deliver growth, to level up the country, achieve net zero, and drive global Britain forward whilst increasing the East of England’s existing net contribution to the Treasury.”

Daniel Zeichner MP, Co-Chair of East of England APPG said:

No other changes to the network will deliver the strategic outcomes the capacity enhancement improvements at Ely or the upgrade at Haughley Junction are designed to address. If the Government does not commit to funding these projects there is a potential and significant risk of non-compliance with its own policy, particularly the legally binding commitment to net zero by 2050.”