Unlocking the true economic potential of Norfolk (and the East) and ensuring that commuters have the rail services they need to travel and get to work have been two of my key missions since becoming an MP back in 2010.
That’s why the Government’s recent announcement that Ely North Junction will be upgraded is such welcome news.
Having helped launch the campaign for Ely North Junction improvements a decade ago, and continued to actively lobby government and Network Rail for the works, I am delighted that the Government has listened to MPs like myself, as well as local councillors, businesses and campaign groups (such as Transport East and Eastern Powerhouse), and has now said it will fund these crucial improvements.
This is a huge step towards the vision of an “Innovation Express” between Norwich and Cambridge!
Despite being only 50 miles apart, travelling between these two internationally recognised science, research and innovation growth hub clusters is difficult and takes too long. By unblocking the Ely North “bottleneck” and linking these two cities (as well as all of the communities in between – Ely, Brandon, Thetford, Attleborough, Wymondham) better together with a half-hourly service with first class Wifi, we can unlock a world class “Innovation Corridor” that creates thousands of new jobs in, and spreads prosperity and positive, cleaner, greener growth for, our region – improving the lives of us all.
The improvement works would also allow passenger service upgrades on a number of other regional rail lines and enable increased freight to move from the port of Felixstowe – which in turn would significantly reduce lorry journeys and, therefore, costs and carbon output.
Rest assured, I will continue to work closely with parliamentary colleagues and other key eastern stakeholders to push this vital work forward.
To learn more about the recent Government announcement, please see the EDP articles here and here
To see more about my work on Ely North Junction specifically, please see my historic updates below.
To learn more about my wider campaign work on Norfolk rail, please visit my campaign page here.
