The Eastern Powerhouse is delighted to hear the announcement that upgrades to both Ely North and Haughley Junctions have been funded by the Department for Transport.
Since our launch in March 2022, the Eastern Powerhouse has identified these two rail bottlenecks as key infrastructure improvements for our region. These upgrades will allow more regular and faster passenger services from Peterborough, Kings Lynn Norwich Ipswich and Cambridge, having a positive impact on rail users across the region. Freight services from Felixstowe to the midlands will be able to take a direct route through Ely, rather than be directed through London, making the rail network in the east far more efficient.
Following our letters to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak MP and to Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper MP, which were backed by many Eastern Region MPs, the Eastern Powerhouse met with Mark Harper on 5th September and discussed the importance of Ely and Haughley to both the regional and national economy. Clearly Mr Harper was listening as just under a month later, government have changed policy and funded these key projects.
The Eastern Powerhouse would like to thank the Department for Transport and The Rt Hon Mark Harper MP for listening to our concerns, and for helping to remove these terrible constraints on growth in the East.
The Eastern Powerhouse will continue to promote investment into the East of England and collaborate closely with the East of England APPG, Transport East, the Economic Heartland and may others who have been campaigning about transport infrastructure improvements in our region.